So They Say Diraiton
by Android Kaeli
Summary: A tale worthy of that in which has happened before, an unforseen outcome that might have never been. What will happen next? Chapter 9 up
1. Prologue

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So They Say; Dirait-on

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Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters. They are owned by those who own them. I do, however, own the original characters (if any), and the fic all of this is in. That is all.

Time seems to hinder life as it moves along, sometimes flowing against the old wounds that are already there like grains of salt. This in turn creates new wounds, exposed to the open air so that everyone can see what harm it has done. These can be hurtful to bare, hidden to everyone except for those that have to feel these marks every waking moment. Many will not realize it is there until it is too late for anyone to do anything about it. Until something drastic happens and there is no way out of the trouble that one got his or herself into except to let the old wounds heal that will allow new ones to surface.

Time also has a way of going in the same direction as life, moving with the twists and turns that it gives one. It helps heal everything that has happened in the past and perhaps what will happen in the future. It keeps all harms away, protecting all wounds at any cost to anyone else. It slows down the pain at certain points in life so that it is easier to bear then if time were to speed up.

But what if, by some chance, time has been changed? What if something came from the future and changed what was meant to happen? What if this person meant to do it and stopped what was occurring long before it was supposed to happen? What if it had a side effect that wouldn't bee seen until it was too late to stop it? Time can be changed at any moment, allowing room to grow and learn what mistakes could have happened, but there is always another side to this. A deeper side that isn't always told or is always known. 

This is the story of how, in the years after a great battle, the past changed more then what was supposed to be changed. Of how a unforeseen side effect would rise up and go against what these hero's had worked so hard for. And how a new love could change that outcome forever.....

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Prologue

In the distant mountains on some lonely continent far away form any other civilization, snow had begun to fall slowly down to the already snow-clad ground. If there were anything living around it wasn't shown for everything seemed to be dead or somewhere close to it. The sheer cliffs, long drops, and sharp rocks were another factor in the place that had no living, breathing souls around that would dare to enter such a place. All those that had fallen upon such a place had either been too stupid to climb such mountains, and lost their lives by falling on the slippery rocks or had died from the below freezing temperatures that went down even further at night.

Whatever the reason was for no one to have lived there or attempted to do so, it was a good place to hide something so valuable that no one would ever dare to come to. Who would want to go search in a place such as this? Not many would bother doing it. And something _was_ hidden among the snow in a cave deep within the mountain range. It was nestled in one of the more unreachable mountains, hidden almost in the middle of the mountain itself as only a ledge jutting out would be the only way for anyone to know that it was there apart from the most oblivious sign. The cave stretched almost to the other side of the mountain, cutting deep within the rock that held up the structure as a whole.

There was a metal door that blocked the entrance to the cave off from the outside world, a deterrent for most people since there probably wasn't a soul living that knew the exact password to open it. If, by some chance, someone did manage to get in, they would find what was inside more valuable then any piece of gold, treasure, or whatnot that was still hidden among ruins of ancient culture. Once inside, any traveler would find themselves staring at a broken down lab rather then actual stone walls. Different kinds of machinery garnished every wall from the entrance down to the back of the cave, some of it mostly computers and control panels of some sort. Almost all had lost it's shine that it once had when it had been taken care of by some scientist years ago, the buttons and gizmos not working or the parts to them were hanging out like they had been intently broken. In the middle of the room there were several metal tables, all of which had broken jars and beakers with dried up or frozen liquid, the stains and ice the only thing left of whatever had been there. There were, however, several beakers still intact with frozen liquid in them, but still had cracks due to the plummeting temperatures. Dust and mold had gathered throughout the lab, seeping into he machinery, rendering everything useless.

One might think that there was nothing in the cave but remnants of a doctor's lab, but if they paid close enough attention that person might see something in one of the corners of the cave. Something that might be useful to them. Once someone got a closer look, he or she would come to realize that it was a broken cryogenics tube, already broken into by some vandal that had braved the cold weather, and steep mountains. Glass was thrown about like a blast had hit it, the freezing liquid that was once inside of it had been splashed about like it was from a lake. The control panel looked like it had been tampered with, but only by someone that was skilled at doing such a thing. 

Yet it didn't look like anyone had tampered with any of the controls that allowed people access inside the secret cavern. There were no marks of forced entry of any kid, whether it be by some energy blast or from someone that used any other forms of breaking into it. The only thing that even suggested that there had been any movement from the entrance was a pair of footprints that looked like they were headed away from the cave. The prints stopped at the edge of the ledge that jutted out from the mountain, the snow that had been at the edge before the new snow had started to fall seemingly looking like something had pushed itself up into the air, and flown away. 

There was no way to prove that there had been anyone there for there was no one around to say that they had seen something. Maybe only time would tell if the truth of the cavern would come out, and life would be thrown back into chaos once again.

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One Year Later, Two Years After Cell

A blast flew into the blue ocean from a small island in the middle of no where, rippling across the waves as it made a trench in the water. This blast flew towards the distant horizon where the blue water sat on the bottom of a blue sky, the two tones of blue clashing together like they always had for countless years. The sun shown down upon the water, making it sparkle along the surface. Several fish sprang out of the water every so often, ignoring the blast of energy that surged past them before it eventually fizzled out minutes later. It hadn't been a particularly strong blast, but it was strong enough to deep fry a couple of fish for dinner if someone was in the mood for burnt meat. 

The person that had emitted the blast stood at the edge of the small island as he watched the water move back into place where the blast had pushed it out of the way. The ocean's waves gently lapped at his ankles, soaking the bottom of his green pants just a bit. That was all he wore that day, the sun baring down upon his exposed shoulders as both of his arms were extended, palms forwards, and his chest moving up and down slowly with every breath that he took. The seagulls cries up above echoed in his ears as he lowered his arms, two of his three eyes blinking very slowly. 

He smiled a bit at what he had done although he really didn't feel all that great. At least, at what he had accomplished in the last two years. It had been rough, he knew it, but it was like any other time in his life. Things happened when he had least expected it, and then all of a sudden, it just seemed right again. He just had to get through it, that's all. 

"Tien?" A small voice asked from behind him. He turned his head around, then moved his gaze down ever so slightly to see a small, clown like being standing there, his eye's staring up at him. His lips were in a line, small circles of red upon his white checks, as he blinked his eyes, his face full of wonder.

"Yes Chaotzu?" He asked, turning his three eyes back towards the gleaming water.

"Are you alright? You've been out here for a while now."

"Yes, I am alright. Just letting off some steam, that is all."

The other being didn't say a word as he moved next to his friend, not caring if his shoes would get wet by the lapping water that went up against the sandy beach. Although the two had been friends for years on end, this moment it seemed like all that had faded into the water that sat before them. Before, they could talk about anything that was on their minds but now it seemed like there was nothing to say. Nothing to show for what had happened a few years earlier. Tien had changed in a way that few saw but Chaotzu saw something as it really was. Something that no one else could see. The hurt and pain of losing someone that had been a friend.

"Tien, I am worried about you," Chaotzu said slowly, his eyes slowly moving up to his friend. At first, Tien didn't say anything as he closed tow of his tree eyes before opening them again.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Like I said, I'm just letting off some steam, that's all."

"You've been training out here for a while now without any breaks and Master Roshi wants...."

"Listen, I don't care what Roshi wants or needs. If he wants it so badly, he just has to do it himself," He snapped hastily, a bit of wind swirling around the two as Tien lifted himself off of the ground. He hovered there for a moment before he flew up into the sky, stopping at a certain point before flying off into the distance. Chaotzu stood there, his mouth opened slightly as he watched his friend go. He was half tempted to follow suit, but remained on the tiny island far away from anything and everything.

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_I wonder what's bugging him,_ Master Roshi thought as he watched Tien fly off into the distant horizon, Chaotzu just standing there, doing nothing. He had expected the small clown-like being to follow the other, yet was surprised that he had stayed where he was. It was unusual to the two apart since they had grown close from their days as students under the Crane Master many years ago. It had all changed since then and now both were no longer students.

"Hey, you're missing the best part!" Oolong called from in front of the TV, causing Roshi to turn around to look at the talking pig. It was that hour of the day when the Fashion Channel did the bathing suit modeling with both Oolong and Roshi parked in front of the small screen, not missing a moment of it. It was customary that both would drool over the barely clad models who, in their opinion, were some of the sexist women alive.

With Tien's hasty take-off out of his mind, Roshi settled back down next to the pig to gape over the bikini girls that walked along the tiny catwalk. Both snorted excitedly at what was going on in the screen, not even noticing that Chaotzu had come through the door and was now standing directly behind them. All the tiny being did was sight what the two were doing before he wandered into the kitchen to find something to do then to watch two perverts drool over bathing suit models. It was wasn't his idea of fun nor would he _ever_ consider it.

"What's bugging you?" Oolong asked as soon as a commercial interrupted their program. He grabbed an already opened soda that was sitting beside him, slowly draining the contents of the can into his mouth.

"Tien," Was all that Chaotzu said as he pushed a chair over to one of the counters and climbed up onto it so that he could reach the things that were there. "Something is wrong with him."

"Well, if you want to talk to him, he is just outside, you know."

"He left a few moments ago," Roshi answered for Chaotzu as he banged a fist onto the TV so that he could attempt to make the commercials end with no avail. "That is what I was doing over there, watching him I was. It isn't hard to notice that there is something wrong. It is Tien after all. I would have thought that he would tell you what was going on."

"He didn't. He just left," Chaotzu snapped, turning his head over his shoulder as he sighed once again. The program that Roshi and Oolong were watching came back on, thus grabbing their attention for the time being. He shook his head, unable to wonder what was really wrong with his friend until he told him.

Until then, there was nothing else to do.

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An Hour Later

He hated to leave Chaotzu on the island by himself with Roshi and Oolong, but Tien had no choice. Besides, he figured his friend would have followed him by now but it was kind of ridiculous to assume things at this time in his life. After all, assuming something would always be there wasn't the greatest thing in the world, but sometimes it was all that a person could until he or she could figure out what was really the truth.

Tien didn't have any where else to go to as he flew over a ridge of small rocks that were the ending of a lone mountain range and the beginning of the ocean. The mountains got lower until they formed this low ridge where people sometimes went to if they wanted to be sprayed with the salty water of the sea. It was there that people could lose their lives because the rocks could become very slippery at times, thus making some people lose their balance only to hit their heads on the sharp edges of the rocks. It was a common place for people to come to as they walked along the beach that jutted out from the mountains to the ridge where they staked their lives by standing on the rocks. If the slippery tops didn't do anything, then the waves sure did. One was enough to knock even the strongest person alive down and perhaps drag them out to sea if they weren't great swimmers or they were already knocked out from hitting their heads on the rocks in the first place.

He sighed as he looked down at the ridge of the low-riding mountains, half expecting to see a lone human standing there, tempting fate yet again. Tien then turned his attention forwards only to snap his head back down towards the Earth. He stopped in his soaring, something reflecting down below. At first he thought it was just a piece of metal from something big or lots of jewelry of someone that had the unfortunate outcome of losing his or her life on the rocks. But, at a second glance down there, it looked more like an orange tint then anything silver or gold.

Looking around to see if anyone else was there, Tien swooped down to the beach part of the ridge, taking several small steps towards the rock part before climbing onto it. He kneeled down by what he though to be something as he removed several rocks from around it. A few moments later, he pulled a round ball-shaped thing out from under the rocks, holding it up towards the light.

"Six," Tien mused, counting the stars that went in a column of two with three rows. He knew what this was even without having to ask anyone in particular: A Dragon Ball. These were the rare balls that would summon the dragon, Shenlong, and grant that person a wish of his or her own. Of course, since Dende had become the new Kami, that had changed from one wish to three (I think. It's been a while since I saw those episodes (can't you tell? ~_~;)). It had been a long time since he had seen one of the Dragon Balls since Gohan and the others had wished for things to return to what it once was before the Androids and Cell ever existed. Yet, he knew he had no use for one of these, but what was the harm of keeping it anyways? Surely there was someone else that was collecting them at this moment and could use one.

Just before Tien was about to take off from the ground once again, the rocks that had been around the Dragon Ball started to move, causing him to stop a few feet away from the ground. Tien landed back where he once was, moving cautiously towards the moving rocks. Just as he came back upon them, a arm jutted out from underneath the rocks, causing him to drop the Dragon Ball and get into a defensive state. It took several moments for him to realize that whatever was underneath the rocks wasn't moving at all and was probably dead from the weight that was on top of it. He knew he couldn't leave the poor soul there for someone else to stumble upon it like he had, so Tien dropped his defense a little and slowly started to take the rocks off of whatever was underneath them.

The shock of what laid beneath the ridge came full circle as he took off the last stone a half hour later. There, laying bruised and battered, was a human woman, her chest still moving up and down but very slowly. She resembled someone that Tien thought he had seen a long time ago as she wore a long flowing dress that had been tattered from the rocks or other things that might have made those tears in the cloth. She was shoeless for the most part, her skin cut, bleeding, and bruised from the rocks and other such things. Her flaming, shoulder length red hair was messy and tangled with seaweed and other forms of planet life as it just laid limply on the rocks.

Tien put a hand to her neck to make sure that she indeed was still alive, a light smile coming to his lips when he realized his eyes weren't playing a trick on him. Just as he started to move his hand away from her neck, the woman's right hand grabbed his wrist, making him unable to pull it out of her grasp. She opened her emerald green eyes, her face scrunching up to see what was there. He didn't know if she saw him or not, but she smiled up at what it seemed to be nothing at all.

"Dirait-on," She muttered to the wind before she let go of him, closing her eyes and slumping down onto the rocks again. Tien looked around once again before he picked the girl up but not before grabbing the Dragon Ball as well. He placed it on her stomach, hoping that it wouldn't fall off as he lifted into the air, going back in the direction in wince had come.

Perhaps there was someone on the island that could help him in this situation.

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To Be Continued


	2. Chapter 1

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So They Say; Dirait-on

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Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters. They are owned by those who own them. I do, however, own the original characters (if any) and the fic all of this is in. That is all.

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Chapter One

The sun bore down upon his back from it's fiery position in the sky as Tien flew quickly towards the small island that held Roshi's home, the woman still unconscious in his arms. He held her close to him, along with the Dragon Ball that still moved on her stomach, making sure that neither would fall into the salty water below. There was no denying that she had been there for quite some time by the looks of the bruises and cuts on her arms and face; how she managed to get into the position that she was in and survive it was a mystery to him, yet it was one that he would have to wonder about later. Right now, all that mattered was to find someone, anyone, to help him in this situation even if that person was one of the most perverted people on the planet.

He had circled the huge island at least a dozen times, looking for something that was even remotely closer then Roshi's small island. He hadn't found anything around it, giving up his search only after about a half hour into it. Even then he knew that there was something there that he overlooked, but there wasn't any time to really do a good search of the island or the beach. Granted that this place was probably about a hundred or so miles away from where he had originally began as he could easily flew to it if he went fast enough, it was still too far away to go. However, Roshi's was the only place he could go that was closer then anything else.

Tien glanced down at the Dragon Ball that was moving ever so slightly on the woman's stomach, his reflection looking right back at him. He wondered why a person would want to go after such things if they did not know that they existed in the first place, yet that was an assumption that he didn't want to put on her just yet. There were people on Earth, inside the small group that Tien had gotten to know, that knew of the Dragon Ball's existence and many other things that common people would not know of. Then again, these people were not the typical beings that one saw walking down the street nor were they ones that could be fooled easily with mere tricks. No, they were probably the strongest beings on the planet and perhaps in the universe, but that was an even bigger assumption then before. There would always be that one creature that would come onto Earth to test their abilities only to be defeated in the end.

"Uhhh," The woman moaned in her slumber, her head moving slightly as Tien looked back down at her with wide eyes. He slowed down at a speed that made the Dragon Ball roll forwards, dropping off of the woman's stomach and down into the water below. If this had been any other time when these Balls were needed, he would have gladly gone after it without much thought to anyone else or anything. But this wasn't that time and there was no real reason as to _why _ he needed the Dragon Ball in the first place. If and when the orb was needed in the future, Bulma Brief's Dragon Radar would easily pick it up when the time came up. As for now, there was no concern over it.

"Are you okay?" He asked, raising the woman's head up so that he could get a better look at her face as he now hovered in mid-air. She did not open her eyes nor did she seem to be moving her head again or any other part of her body as she laid calmly in his arms once again. Tien narrowed two of his eyes, not understanding anything about this woman nor the circumstances in which she had gotten into this condition. "Miss? Can you speak again?"

As those words rolled off of his tongue, the woman did not answer as a soft gurgle came from deep within her throat. Her lips moved silently along to the wind, seemingly moving in the same pattern over and over again until her mouth closed once again and fell back into whatever hell she might be in at the moment. Tien shook his head at this, realizing that this might be more serious then he originally thought as he started to fly once again, this time faster then before. He had to get some help and fast before anything else happened to her.

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Future

With everything that has happened in the past and those things that will happen in the future, there are always consequences to every thing that goes on in the universe, even down to the smallest change. Changing Time itself is especially dangerous for the chaos that might ensue if one were to change history even the slightest bit. Everything happens for a reason that can not be undone even if one wanted to change the past for it to change the future for good or evil. Despite the person's desire to change things, the most dire of situations that might arise in the future's own future as there is no need to go change what has already happened in that past. 

There would always be alternate timelines happening at once, shifting through time and space without once crossing over each other. However, there is always something that will go wrong during this as paths will cross with each other at some point in the space of traveling. While it may not be seen in a many visions, there will always be those strays that can pick up what is supposed to be wrong and hopefully change it before anything will become worse.

He knew this and many other things as he stared at the night sky, his purple hair swaying in the light breeze. He stood in the center of the site where Capsule Corps used to stand, yet even that was being rebuilt as the days and years went by. Everything seemed to be getting back into order since the Androids attack several years ago, eventually becoming what it once was. Even then, when he had gone back to change what had already happened in the past, he knew that something was going to come out of it, good and bad. The good that came out of it was that he became strong enough to destroy the Androids in his own time and stopped it from happening in another time. The bad that followed was that things didn't go as planned as he thought was going to go. 

Now, he knew as he continued to stare up at the starless sky, there was something inside of him that was tingling. It started at the base of his spine, working its way up slowly to the middle of his back before shooting up into his brain. There was something wrong somewhere that he didn't understand nor did he know where it was coming from. A strange power had emerged from in the distance and, no matter how far he went, there was no sign of anything that was going on. Nothing but the remains of what had happened in the past along with the things that were old memories.

When he told his mother about the strange feeling, she told him to brush it off since there was no longer any threats to worry about other then to rebuild what they had lost. Her words of how he was still to paranoid over what had happened swirled in his mind as he shook his head, attempting to get those same exact thoughts out of his head. He didn't want to think of the possibilities of having something else out there that would disrupt his life once again.

"You are still thinking about what happened, aren't you child?" Said an old voice from behind him. The boy turned around swiftly, the unfamiliar tone of the voice ringing in his voice as his eyes came upon a woman that he had never seen before. There stood an old lady that he did not recognize as she stood several feet away from him, her hands at her sides. Her short red hair moved slightly in the wind, her green eyes watching him closely then he had ever see anyone look at him. Despite her age, she looked like someone who had aged far more then the normal human would have aged. Even so, he did not trust her like he did not trust the many other strangers that he came across nowadays. 

"Uh, yes...." He told her, unsure as to why someone like her was standing there, watching him. He had never seen her before and he was sure as anything that she had never seen him before either.

"I am not here to harm you, child. I probably would have in the past, but that was a long time ago. Times change and so do people, like yourself for instance."

"Who....who are you?" He stammered out, taking a step back from her. This wasn't looking too good and he didn't trust some old lady's word even though she did not look like she was going to do anything to him. Still, he had to take in account of what had happened in the past, which scared him more then it did to comfort him.

Instead of answering his question, the woman laughed like a hyena, turning around quickly. With her back to him, she walked away into the darkness of the night without another word being thought or said with the wind howling along with the laughter.

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"Who is she?" Oolong asked as he hovered over the woman's face, peering down at her closed eyes as she laid on the couch that Mast Roshi had pushed to the side for some unknown reason. The pig was leaning on the arm that the woman's head was upon, unable to really focus on her face but rather on the other parts of her upper body. Roshi himself was leaning on the top of the couch, his hands being swatted away every few seconds from her by Tien, who looked pissed that he was even trying to attempt such a thing on a woman that he didn't even know although that was a common thing for him. Chaotzu was standing not too far from where Tien was standing, looking confused at this whole matter just like the other three were.

Tien hadn't been back at Roshi's island for more then fifteen minutes and already he had to ward off the two perverts off of the one that he had seemingly "rescued" her from her rocky grave. Chaotzu had given him a weird look as soon as his friend had come inside the house with the stranger in his arms, yet Tien ignored it when he had set the woman down upon the couch gently. Oolong and Roshi had at once rushed over to the one that their friend had brought in, eager to see what they could get their hands onto. It didn't matter at first who this person was or why she was even there, instead going for the parts that they knew they shouldn't touch. 

"I don't know," Tien said, shrugging lightly as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I found her laying under a pile of rocks along a beach."

"What were you doing there?" Roshi asked, eyeing Tien but all the while moving a hand down towards the woman's chest. Tien gave him a stern look about this action, which Roshi heeded only after he had roughly touched the woman's chest with the tip of his hand. He then withdraw his arm back to the top of the couch, a look of mock hurt appearing on his face along with a sly smile.

"I thought I saw a Dragon Ball down there, but I was mistaken," He half lied, knowing full well that he _had_ found a Dragon Ball under the rocks but it had been dropped into the water instead of him not really finding anything. But what harm could it possibly do to give a little lie? It wasn't like the Dragon Ball _hadn't_ been placed back where it was supposed to be and there was no real reason _why_ they needed them anyways. Besides, they could find it another day if and when they needed it. "So, I went down there to check to see if there was. No Dragon Ball, but I did find her instead. I don't know what she was doing there in the first place, but I couldn't leave her there even if she was there for a while."

"Is she alive?" Chaotzu asked in a small voice, tip toeing next to Tien as he looked over the other arm of the couch to take a glimpse of her. 

"Of course she is alive. Felt a heartbeat when I touched her chest," Roshi said, getting excited at the mere thought of that action. Tien did all he could to stop himself from rolling his eyes, shaking his head instead as he took in a deep breath to keep himself calm. He was already becoming irritated with the few questions that they had already asked, although he usually was pretty calm about certain things. 

"When I got her out from under the rocks, she opened her eyes and said something to me. I don't know what it meant nor can I remember exactly what it was, but it wasn't something I have heard before.," Tien added on, taking in another deep breath as he watched the woman closely. He still thought she reminded him of someone, but he couldn't be sure of that at the moment.

Suddenly, the woman sat up quickly, her eyes snapping open just as fast as she had sat up. This caused Oolong to fall off the arm rest he had been on, landing on his behind with a thud. Roshi jumped back from the couch, his sunglasses nearly falling off of his nose as a look of surprise came onto his face. Both Tien and Chaotzu got into a defensive stance in the same place as they were standing in, ready for anything that the stranger might attempt to do. Instead of getting up, the woman blinked her eyes, turning her head from left to right several times before her emerald eyes fell onto Tien himself.

"....w....w....w...." She stumbled, her voice cackling with the same letter. Tien lowered his defense some, unsure as to what she was trying to say or do to them. With everything that had happened in the last few years, it wasn't uncommon for something to be the exact opposite of what it was. 

"Uh," Oolong whispered, getting up and propped his elbows onto the same arm rest that he had fallen from. He didn't get much closer to her then this, afraid that she might turn around and do something to him or to anyone else in the room.

"....w....w....w...." The woman attempted to say again, her eyes narrowing as her face got dark and clouded with anger. She looked like she was about to cry, yet no tears came from the base of her eyes. Then the anger faded as fear set in, her knees going up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees. No one moved after this, all too confused as to what was going to really say or do anything as they stared at each other, the seconds ticking by.

It was Chaotzu who had the most courage to lower his defense all the way, moving in closer towards her then the others would to have liked to. He kept his hands in front of him, going around the edge of the couch as he stopped at the end of it without going much further then that. The woman still had her eyes upon Tien, seemingly ignoring that the other was standing closer to her then anyone else in the room. Chaotzu blinked his eyes, his head tilting to the side as he looked the woman over several times without saying a word to her at first. After a few moments, he began to speak.

"Do you know who you are?" Chaotzu said slowly, hoping that she would at least understand that question to a point to tell them who she was. The woman moved her gaze from Tien to the small clown-like being, causing him to jump and take a step backwards. She then tilted her head to the side, a small smile appearing then disappearing on her lips.

"R...R...R..." She sputtered, still unable to speak more then a single word at a time. At this point, Tien was getting angrier by the second at this as he placed his hands at his side and walked smoothly to the end of the couch. Once he did, the woman moved her eyes back over towards him, looking surprised that he had come closer then he had been before.

"Look, I know you can speak more then one word. I heard you speak before. Unless something happened to you to make you not know how to speak, you had better speak now!" Tien growled, crossing his arms over his chest. Chaotzu looked up at his friend in surprise as did Oolong and Roshi, their mouths dropping open.

"Tien, I don't think that is the right way to talk to a lady. You to need to talk smooth to her to get some things later," Roshi told him wisely, giving him a wink and a nod. Tien ignored him, his three eyes staring intently at the one that he had taken off of the rocks. 

"Rose," The woman muttered, her eyes moving down towards the couch so that she would not have to look at anyone. Tien sighed, dropping his arms to his side as he backed away from the couch.

"That's better then what you were trying to say. Now, perhaps you can tell us where you came from," He demanded just as angrily has he had done so before. The woman remained quiet, her lips moving to unheard words like she was trying to think of something to say other then the truth with her eyes still lowered. They waited for her to say something, the tension in the room growing to a height that made everyone become more uneasy as the moments dragged on.

"I....I.....don't remember," She said, moving her gaze up to him with sorrowful eyes. Tien leaned towards her, clicking his tongue on the top of his mouth as he did.

"The word that you said before. What was it?" He asked. The woman did not reply to him, her lips moving into a thin line as the stared at each other intently. "I promise that this will be my last question if you say something."

"Honest?"

"Honest, I suppose."

"Dirait-on."

"Dirait-on? What does that mean?" Oolong asked no one in particular as Tien straightened his back up. No one answered the question as silence settled back in, only time able to answer the question.

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To Be Continued 


	3. Chapter 2

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So The Say; Dirait-on

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Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters. They are owned by those who own them. I do, however, own the original characters (if any) and the fic all of this is in. that is all.

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Chapter Two

The day started its glimmering end like it had always down in the past as the sun dipped down towards the western hemisphere, allowing the dark night to slowly take over the sky. There few late day seagulls soaring over the darkening ocean, may of which were settling down upon the beach of island or even further away on some other beach in which cliffs overlooked the whispering water. The wind had died down to a certain degree, the waves lapping more gently against the yellow sand as it washed it away to another part of the Earth. Everything was calming down for the night, winding from the hectic day that had passed almost uneventfully.

Tien stood at the window that overlooked the ocean, his three eyes unblinkingly staring at the watery horizon without much thought to anything in particular. He had been standing there for the last hour or so, ignoring all that had moved around him with the words that were spoken not even hindering him as he stared out into the open wilderness of sea life. He even ignored Chaotzu, who had bandaged the woman's cuts up after he had washed them gently, all the while pushing Roshi and Oolong away from her. She had fallen fast asleep on the couch, snuggling deep under a blanket that Roshi himself had placed over her but oh so delicately. He knew that was probably the closest he, Oolong or anyone else would be able to get to her without anyone else swatting them away. Chaotzu made sure of that no matter what since he knew how the two could easily get a hold of her, or any other woman for that matter., without anyone really noticing.

He seemingly didn't care anymore about the girl that laid fast asleep just a few feet away, yet he wondered about her still. There were few, if any at all, beings on the planet and beyond its atmosphere that could survive under rocks that heavy, but she still managed to do it somehow. How, he had thought several times in the last hour or so, she did was something he would have to find out eventually from her. In fact, there were several other questions that he wanted to ask, however that would have to wait until another time for those certain questions to be asked. Perhaps in a couple of days she would be well enough to stand up to him without much incident.

"Tien?" Chaotzu asked innocently. Tien jumped slightly from his daydream, unaware that his friend had come up next to him on his right.

"Yes?" He asked back, quickly glancing down at Chaotzu before looking back outside the window.

"Are you sure that she was in a bad state when you found her? She doesn't look like it."

"I know she doesn't, Chaotzu. I don't know understand it either, but we will find it out eventually," He mused quietly, turning his full attention to the small being with wonder in his eyes. "Do you doubt me about this?"

"No, it is just that," Chaotzu paused for a moment before going on, "it doesn't seem....._natural_ that she would survive something like that. There are few people who could do that."

"You would be surprised at what some people can live through," Tien mused, looking thoughtful. His mind wandered onto several people that he knew as a small smile came upon his lips before that vanished just as quickly as it had come. "Yet, I am also questioning that too."

"Who do you think she is?"

"I don't know." Tien shook his head on that question. "Everything is different when we don't know what is going on or know who we are dealing with. It is these times I wonder if everything we do is just a dream that we can't get out of."

"Maybe it is," Oolong mused wistfully from his position in front of the TV. The two looked towards the pig who had his eyes glued to the TV as a trio of bikini-clad women ran down a beach filled with people. Roshi was no where to be found, which was odd that he would not be right next to Oolong, drooling over what little the women were wearing. Then again, things hadn't been the same since Cell had been defeated, so there was no telling what could happen.

Chaotzu remained quiet after that, his mouth opening once before it closed right back up again without any verbal words being spoken. He moved his eyes towards the window, blinking at the fading light that would eventually turn into the darkness of the night. Tien watched his friend for several moments before he, too, turned his attention back outside the window without any words coming from him either. Both remained silent together, watching the sunset dip into the watery horizon that would come back up with the morning light. They each entered their own world where nothing would go wrong, muttering a few wandering ideas from their closed lips yet neither commented on them, verbally or telepathically. It seemed as though they had their thoughts links to a point where they didn't need to utter a single word so that no one could hear them use things that they did not need to hear.

"Why did you get her from there?" Chaotzu asked an hour later after the sun had disappeared from plain view. Roshi came from his hiding place from somewhere inside the house, turning on the lights around the living room as he muttered something on his observation about the two that stood at the window. They did not know if he or Oolong had done anything or tried to do something to the girl on the couch and, despite how hard they had kept them from attempting something in the past, they didn't care at the moment. She was probably still asleep now, so as long as neither pervert tried anything more then simple touching, there was no harm done to anyone.

"I don't know. Maybe once I find that out for myself, I can answer that question for you. Ask me again another point in time," Tien said after a few moments of thought, two of his eyes closing as he took in a deep breath. 

Chaotzu nodded to that, re-entering his own world without anything else being said.

****

Things could change in an instant that no one could be prepared for. She knew it to be true for the most part of her life, especially since she had lived day to day without any preparation of any kind to rid her of the mindless dribble she had to encounter with every step that she took. Even now, as she laid restless on a soft couch in the middle of nowhere, she couldn't be sure as to what she had to do in order to get out of it. Even so, there was a certain taste to it that she liked, however unfamiliar it was to it.

Yet, things had happened so fast that she didn't know what or why it had happened to her. All she remembered of the predicament that got her to where she was now that she had reached down to picked up the orange orb that she had found along the cliff before darkness had engulfed her. She had tried to find the light that she had once been in, however those attempts became futile as it seemed to become even darker then before. she saw the same orb that she had tried to get prior to being placed in total darkness, but even that was out of reach of her delicate fingertips. Her cries went unnoticed for who knows how long, being drowned out by the crashing waves against solid rock.

She didn't know how bad she was hurt because of the darkness, yet that was the least of her worries at the moment. There was no telling how long the darkness had consumed her until the orb had disappeared altogether from her reach and her view. A few rays of light came in as she shut her emerald eyes to keep the blinding force from hurting her even further then she already was. It was even then that she felt her body being lifted out from underneath the rubble, a fleeting hope that Death had finally come to claim her. Perhaps then she could be free of the cursed life she led in which she longed to end in a way that she never tried to do before. that was not the case when she opened her eyes to see a set of three eyes staring down at her, unblinking and void of any wandering emotions. She found no fear inside of her when she smiled weakly at him and said that word that she knew would damn her for the rest of her life.

_Dirait-on_.

The first and only word that she had spoken to him then before she blacked out into hell once again. What did it mean? Why did she say it if she didn't even know the meaning behind it? It was all a mystery to her until she found out for herself and for others that wanted to know as well. Until such time, she couldn't answer any questions that would be directed towards her as she didn't know the answers to them. Perhaps, even then, the answers would come on their own, shedding light on a mystery that she knew no one wanted to solve.

****

The night went slowly on just as the day had gone by swiftly the darkness not fading until the light came up from the Eastern horizon of the coast. The gentle laps of the waves lulling against the shores would allow many people to fall asleep fast into a state of pure happiness that would break them from the sounds of their hectic lives. There were even others still, however, that found the sound equally disturbing, their ears being filled with the sound of water rushing up against the sand as they attempted to ignore it. There sleepless nights would be filled with tossing and turning that would eventually end up as muttering about the lack of sleep he or she would get because of the loud crashing of water against Earth.

Tien was one of those few people as he sat on the beach near the water, his knees up against his chest with his arms wrapped around them. He hadn't been there long; no more then ten minutes had passed since he had been sitting there, staring at the stars above. He could make out several of the constellations that the faraway fireballs of light created, almost turning to his right side several times to show Chaotzu these wonders. It was then that he would remember that he was alone in the night, returning his gaze back up towards the night sky a few moments later.

He felt alone now, more so then he had in the past night and days that had gone without much as a single worry or hint of trouble. That was not saying that he was entirely alone; not at all. He had Chaotzu with him fro the most part, accompanying him on adventures to other places and training spots in the distant mountains. Roshi and Oolong were always there whenever he needed them to be there despite the face that would much rather be in front of the TV, drooling over half-naked women that all knew they would never get. They were just friends to be with; companions for journeys that he knew he could do alone. Perhaps he needed someone else with him to enjoy life with. Someone that didn't care who he was or why he was there. Just a person to understand what it was like to be alone in a world that didn't want them there in the first place.

"Which constellation is that?" A small voice whispered softly from his right side. Tien nearly jumped to his feet in surprise, his eyes quickly moving over towards the origin of the voice. Sitting next to him in the sand was Chaotzu, who was staring absently up at the blazing stars as well. He wasn't pointing at anything in the night sky as his hands were at his sides, allowing his friend to guess which cluster of stars he was talking about.

"Which one do you want to know the name of?" Tien asked calmly after overcoming the slight shock of finding someone sitting next to him. Chaotzu didn't seem to notice the small surprise that was left in his voice as he pointed to a random group of stars above.

"That one. What is it?" He answered as Tien moved his eyes towards the place he was pointing to. In the mists of stars above, there was a single pattern of stars that curved ever so slightly, creating a small snake-like pattern. At the end of one side, there was a small cluster of starts that seemingly created the head of the constellation.

"I suppose that's Draco, the dragon. I can't be sure, though."

"What is it called that? It doesn't look like a dragon."

"I guess everyone sees it differently, I suppose. I don't know why exactly it is there or why the ancient beings of the past saw it as a dragon." He moved his eyes slightly to the side to get a look at the other's pale face. "I am surprised you can't remember these things, Chaotzu. We've spent many nights just staring at the stars and seeing the different patterns in the sky."

"There are too many to remember," Chaotzu said lightly, smiling just a bit as he placed his hand back onto the unusually warm sand. "I don't sit out here a lot anymore like you do."

Tien didn't say anything as he dropped his gaze to the glassy water of the ocean. The words of his friend were all too true; he _did_ spend too much time outside, watching the stars twinkle in the sky at night or just the waves during the day. Maybe it _was_ too much time being spent alone on the beach, doing nothing but staring out into nothingness. Yet, he found it to be relaxing to listen to the waves and allowing himself to release his thoughts into the wind.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Chaotzu mused thoughtfully, his eyes moving over to his friend as his smile disappeared from his lips.

"Just thinking about what happened, that's all," Tien answered half truthfully.

"About the girl?"

"No. Mostly about what had happened with Cell and Androids."

"Oh," The small being sighed, biting his lower lip. "Do you think everything would have been different if Trunks hadn't come back in the past to tell us what was going to happen?"

"It probably would have been just like he said it was going to happen, but then again, we don't know. We don't know if what he lived through in the future was true or not. I am just glad that we don't have to find that out."

There was another moment of silence between the two as they went deep into their own thoughts. What _would_ have happened if Trunks hadn't come from the future to help those in the past? Would it be as destructive because of the Androids as he said it was? Or was Time changed because of his traveling back into the past? Trunks himself had even admitted a few times during the battles that things had changed due to the fact that he had changed history, so what made him so sure that everything that had happened in _his_ future was going to happen in _their_ future? No matter what would have happened, everyone was just glad that no one had to find out if he had been wrong or not even if things weren't always mentioned.

"I suppose we have to make our own future in order for it to work. We can't rely on those from our past, present, or future to make it happen," Tien continued after the silence had started to irritate him so. He knew those words were true for everyone, but he had to accept what had happened in the past as something that could not be changed. Even if the technology existed to go back in Time to fix it.

Chaotzu nodded his agreement, closing his eyes to allow the waves of the ocean to lull him to sleep.

****

To Be Continued


	4. Chapter 3

**So they Say; Dirait-on**

_Disclaimer:_  I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters.  They are owned by those who own them.  I do, however, own the original characters (if any) and the fic all of this is in.  That is all.

_Author's Note:_  Thanks to Crash, who pointed about how many wishes the Earth's Dragon Balls can grant.  I knew it was either two or three, so thanks for correcting me.  Thanks.  And thanks also to Dreamwraith as well.  I am glad that you two are enjoying this fic.  ^________^

**Chapter Three**

                The day had slowly begun like it had ended many hours before, the sun rising from the East from its watery bed so that it would go back into its slumber in the West.  Morning calls brought about the sounds of rushing water against solid Earth as the waves awoke to the new beginning of life.  The fish underneath the froth of foam moved their scaled tails back and forth, their eyes absent of any thought that they might have in their tiny minds.  Other creatures stirred in the depths of the ocean, hardly noticing the change between night and day as they were used to the ever present darkness of their realm.  The gulls above the coursing water cawed at the day's break, awaking all that were in their slumber.

                In the golden rays of the new day, Tien stood outside in the still cool sand, punching furiously at nothing in particular.  He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, but who could with the waves of the ocean rolling against the shore of the island?  Normally it wouldn't bother him so much as the gentle lapping would place him into a deep sleep spell that would not wear off until hours after the sun would rise from its own sleep.  Now, it annoyed him to a point where he couldn't even stand to be outside with it roaring in his ears, even in the daylight hours.  He supposed it was because of the vents that had taken place the day before, but even before that moment the waves had caused him any sleepless nights.

                But, what could he do about it?  Chaotzu was the only one that knew of his plight with Oolong and Roshi too absorbed by their TV antics to actually care about anything else.  The girl probably wouldn't care if he was getting any sleep or not since she had not spoken a word nor moved from her position on the couch she had spoken very little to them the day before.  She hadn't even asked for anything to eat or drink from the moment she had come to the house, but then again, she had been quite out of it when she arrived and he didn't think it would wear off any time soon.

                "I suppose you think you could get any stronger with just punching nothing but air, now do you?"  A soft voice mused forcefully from behind him.  Tien stopped in mid-punch, his ears pricking up as he listened to what little wind was there before he dropped his arms to his side.  He turned around slowly, knowing who the voice belonged to even though he didn't expect it to be her.  Rose stood there, her emerald eyes staring him down coldly as if she didn't like him.  Those orbs that looked upon him didn't seem to be lost and confused like they had been the day before as a set determination set on her face.  She held the blanket that Roshi had given her around her body so that she did not show anything to the other with one hand drooping by her side while the other held the cloth up by her chest.  "I think that you are just wasting your time trying to do that."

                "You should be on the couch, resting," Tien instructed, ignoring the question and the words that she had asked and spoken to him.  "You went through a lot yesterday, and I don't want you to get any worse then you are now."

                "I am fine. It was not like I was_that_ hurt by them.  I have had worse then rocks being tumbled onto me."

                "Still.  A person does not just walk away after being buried under a pile of rocks that size and weight for Dende knows how long.  You could have been killed.  I am surprised that you weren't."

                "You will be surprised at what people can live through, especially ones that you don't even know or care to."

                Tien opened his mouth to say something then closed it with no words coming from his throat, a little surprised at the words that she had spoken.  He knew those words were true; hell, he even said them himself the night before to Chaotzu.  Yet, still, she shouldn't even be up after being under those same rocks for however long she had been under them.  Not even someone as strong as Goku would not have any problems under such conditions and the Saiyan was used to being thrown into mountains and such.  He didn't know what she was used to and he didn't care.  It wasn't his problem as to why she had been under them.

                "Why are you doing that anyways?  There is nothing there to actually hit, therefore nothing to hit you back," She spoke rationally, a smile creeping onto her lips.  "If you find someone to actually spar with, you will find that it is much more easier to become stronger."

                He took in a deep breath, his left eye twitching.  "It helps if I train a lot, even if it is alone.  Why do you ask?"

                "Just curious, that is all," Rose answered with a light shrug.  "I don't see people hit the open air for no apparent reason since it doesn't do you any good to do so.  You don't have anyone to hit you back."

                "I have a reason."

                "And a poor one at that," She answered, a knowing look on her face.  Her expression in her eyes did not change as she turned around towards the house as she started to walk towards it.  "I'll take your advice, Hero, and go back to the couch.  That will keep me occupied for a minute or less, then I will try to find something else to do."

                Tien stared after her in half disbelief, half anger as she strode through the open door.  He stayed there for several moments before he shook his head, ignoring his training for the moment as he walked in behind her.  The woman sat down upon the couch, keeping the blanket around her as her eyes moved up towards him.  They looked lost now; more so then they had done the day before, but still held that defiance that had been in them not a moment earlier.

                "Who exactly are you?"  He demanded, ignoring the rise in his voice that echoed through the house. He knew that the others were still asleep in their own rooms in the house, yet that did not bother him the slightest.  As long as they were still asleep, he would be fine.

                "I told you yesterday who I am.   I hope that you didn't forget that soon, now did you?  However, I would like to know who _you_ are since you never gave me the pleasure of your name," Rose spat back, moving her free hand underneath the blanket as she pulled it overtop of her shoulders.  "I don't want to be calling you 'it' or 'him' or even 'Hero' for that matter, now do I?"

                "Tien.  My name is Tien.  Happy?"

                "No, I am not.  When I get out of here and get that orange orb that I had before I came here, only _then_ will I be happy.  Maybe not even when I _do_ get out of here will I be."

                "You mean the Dragon Ball?"  He inquired, coming a step closer to her then he had been before.  He now had a confused look on his face, indicating to her more then what his words had told her.  He still did not know why she wanted the Dragon Ball in the first place; perhaps maybe now he could get out the reason behind her having the Six Star one.

                "If that is what it is called, then yes.  That is what I mean," She answered, pulling her legs underneath of her body so that she was not sitting Indian Style.  "I need it, so once that you believe that I am better, then I will go find it again."

                "Don't bother."  Tien shook his head.  "It isn't worth your time."

                "And why not?"  She hissed loudly enough, making Tien cringe at the sheer loudness in which she cast her voice to him.  "It is no like you need them or anyone else for that matter."

                "How do you know that?  Even more so, do you even know what the Dragon Balls can do?"

                "Yes, I do.  I know enough to be able to use them when I want to."

                "How did you learn of them?"

                "That is none of your damned business!"  Rose shouted out, causing Tien to move quickly over towards her, cupping his right hand overtop of her mouth so that she would not say anything more.

                "Be more quiet!"  He growled out, grabbing her arms with his left hand.  "Do you really want to...."

                "Hey, what is going on here?  Who's shouting in there?"  A tired voice, which Tien suspected it was Roshi, asked as the old Turtle Hermit stumbled out of the back rooms, sleep still in his eyes.  He wore nothing but a pair of red boxers and a white T-shirt as he stopped a few feet away from the couch.  Tien rolled his eyes as the old man's eyes went wide, his mouthing curving into a sly smile as a cackle came from within his throat.  "Ah HA!  I _knew_ something was going on in here!  Tien, you old scoundrel!  I didn't think....."

                "That is _not_ what we were doing!"  Tien screeched, clenching his teeth together as he dropped his hands off of the girl and stood up with flames dancing in his eyes.  He turned towards the door that lead outside just as Chaotzu walked lazily into the room with Oolong right behind him.  They stopped behind Roshi, Chaotzu rubbing one eye awake with his hand.  Tien stopped at the door, turning his head towards the trio that had come out from the back rooms.

                "What's going on here?"  Chaotzu mumbled sleepily, yawning to get himself more awake.

                "Tien is playing doctor with our new friend here," Roshi admitted, chuckling even more to himself.

                "Oh, be quiet old man.  Get your sick, perverted mind out of the gutter," The girl growled her eyes still on Tien as she straightened her back.  "You know, I can't stay here with this blanket on me all the time."

                "Sure you ca...."  Oolong started before Chaotzu hit the pig on the back of the head.

                "What do you want me to do about it?"  Tien grumbled, crossing his arms light over his chest as Oolong rubbed the spot where Chaotzu had hit him.

                "Isn't there any way that you can get me something else to wear?  Maybe there is something around this house that I could put on."

                "Lady, look...."

                "It's Rose," She quipped with narrowed eyes.

                "Okay, fine.  Rose, look around you.  Do you see any other women that live in this house?"  

                There was a silence that followed those words, everyone looking at those that were around them before their eyes wandered back upon the one that was standing near the door.  Tien sighed, closing two of his eyes before opening them up again.  _Why do I bother?_  He thought to himself as he turned halfway around before breaking the silence that had followed his earlier words.  "If you want clothes, I am sure that Master Roshi can spare a few things until you leave."

                "Isn't there any other options?"  Rose asked gently, glancing at the old man that had now inched his way to the back of the couch.  Her gaze did not deter him as he gave her a wide smile.  "Please?"

                "Why not ask Bulma?  I am sure that she would be willing to help," Oolong offered, dropping the hand that had been rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head to his side.  Tien stayed quiet for that moment, looking from the woman then to Roshi then back to her again, noticing the two different looks that each had on their faces.  _I don't blame her for not wanting to even _wear_ the same clothing as that pervert,_ He thought, forcing himself not to smile at that same thought.  _Maybe Oolong has a good idea.  Perhaps I can even drop her off at Capsule Corp. so that I don't have to worry about her anymore._

                "Maybe I should," Tien mused, turning his body fully towards the door.  He stood there for a moment, thinking of something else before he walked out of the house and onto the beach that lay beyond that.  Hesitating for a moment, Tien watched the light clouds move along the sky before he pushed his body off of the ground, flying into the air.  Rose watched him go through the air, a look of surprise on her face as she turned towards Chaotzu, who had come forwards more so then he had done before.  His eyes were also trained upon the window, yet there was no surprise on his face but a look of wonder and worry.

                "Can he do that?"  She whispered to the being that stood not far from the couch, her green eyes breaking away from the morning sky to gaze upon the other that stood before her.  Chaotzu did not move his gaze, instead nodding as a small smile came upon his lips.

                "We all can," He whispered back, a knowing look surpassing the wonder and worry that had been on it before.  Rose blinked her eyes, turning her attention back towards the window, her unanswered questions lingering in her head.  _Maybe he can help me in more ways then one,_ She thought to herself a she settled deeper into the couch, ready for an eventful day that was just beginning.

****

                The snow-capped mountains that pressed down the middle of the faraway land trembled in fear as a cold wind pressed hard against the rock.  Driving snow caused little visibility for those that actually dared to go into such a place at a time like this.  If there had been any creatures that had been in the already lain snow, they were quickly covered up by the whipping hail and frosty glares of the clouds above.   Nothing was alive in the valley in which the mountains had created, if there was such a thing to be seen or heard of.  Very few would want to be in such a place at any given point, even if that want was of dark origins.

                The frost of the snow would cover tracks of animals and other creatures, a good deal for those that had actually trekked through the snow-bound floors of the mountains.  The trespassers would seal their fate by not muttering a word about the hidden beauty while the mountains would cover their tracks with a fresh blanket of snow.  And, yet, as deep as the snow was and as much as it was falling from the dark sky above, there was no hiding the deep trail that started from somewhere in the break of the mountains to a single rock that stood apart from the rest of them.  What made this trail so different then the tracks was that it was perfect as snow was pushed back by an unknown force.  Down below the soft surface of the snow was something the light of day would never see: a faint hint of green grass that should not exist in a cold world.

                Who or what made the trench to this mountain knew what it was doing as it kept itself hidden from view of the raging storm.  If this creature had climbed up the mountain, moving along with the cracks and small peaks that the task gave it, then it had been covered up by the rapid snow fall.  There was no indication that there was anything moving from within the lavatory that had been abandoned, forgotten, and left without much thought to it. Even so, the mountains were not speaking their knowledge to those that had come after this, allowing little light to shed on any events that might unfold.

                And, yet, there was something dark about the mountain valley that the frost-bitten clouds did not cast down upon. A darkness that could not be pushed away by means of the stinging howls of the falling snow.  Only something more pure could banish any remaining darkness to the void in which it came from.

                Or would die trying.

****

                The trip to Capsule Corp. from Roshi's island was a long one despite he was going as fast as he possibly could.  Usually he flew at a pace where he was most comfortable at and would still allow him to safely get to one place to another.  Those were the times that there was something that was trying to defeat those that wanted to protect the Earth from any attacks that would come and those times he knew it was better to go at a pace in which enabled him to get things done right.  However, this time around, he wanted to get away from one particular place as fast as he could.  And for good reason too.

                Tien sighed as he landed with ease upon the solid ground in front of the main building of the Capsule Corp. complex, not even looking in awe at how big it was.  It was a large compound with man different buildings that held many complex gadgets, laboratories, and such for the genius minds that worked on alien and human technology.  There were, perhaps, even more then just tinkering with gadgets and new inventions that were being made as quickly as they were cast aside.  Few knew the things that these great minds knew, the rare few outside of the gadgets glad that no one else knew what they knew.

                He stared up at the windows that overlooked the street, a pang of dread hitting his stomach.  He didn't want to be there and for several reasons if that.  It wasn't that he was afraid of the family that lived within the compound; at least, most of them.  Vegeta was the one that he feared the most even if he didn't show it and the one person he didn't want to see at that moment.  He knew how the Saiyan acted around other people and how fast his temper would explode if one was not careful about it.  If there was one thing that a person should never do, it is to cross paths with an angry Super Sayian.

                "How am I going to explain this one to Bulma?"  Tien mused out loud to no one in particular as he walked up to the door, ready to knock on it.

                "Explain _what_ to me?"  A female voice demanded from behind him before he had the chance to knock or do anything else.  He turned around slowly to see a blue-haired woman standing there, hands on her hips as several shopping bags hung around her wrists.  This was Bulma Briefs, the woman with the mind of several scientists and the one that created many things that he and others used.

                "Um.....well, you see....."  Tien started, scratching the back of his head.  "It is kind of hard to explain."

                "What did Vegeta do THIS time?" The woman growled, her eyes narrowing and her face becoming angry and fierce.

                "This isn't about Vegeta.  It is something totally different," He said quickly, hoping to dodge any physical or verbal attacks that he might get in the way of.

                "Oh," Bulma said, her expression changing to a softer tone as she smiled lightly.  "Well, then.  What is it?"

                "Not out here.  Maybe I can tell you inside.  Perhaps...."  Tien started before the woman pushed the shopping bags into his stomach, causing him to trail off.  She then let go of them, causing him to quickly wrap his arms around the bags so that they wouldn't fall to the ground.

                "If you want to talk to me, you'll have to carry these bags in," She instructed as she walked past him without much thought, opening the door so that both of them could get into the building.  Tien sighed again, following her inside of the building.

                He just hoped he knew what he was getting himself into.

**To Be Continued**


	5. Chapter 4

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So They Say; Dirait-on

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Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters. They are owned by those who own them. I do, however, own the original characters (if any) and the fic all of this is in. That is all.

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Author's Note: I normally have chapters for fics up in a two to four week period, depending on my idea's for a fic, my work schedule, and the things I have to do for my college classes. Due to the fact that I have THREE four to ten page papers due in the next few weeks (two of them are for English), I really won't be writing my fics as much. If I didn't have a Sign Language paper to do, I would be fine, but I do (even though the teacher has never really given the class much instruction on the paper.....no, wait. Scratch that sentence. He has given NO [as in, none except for the first day of class] instruction on it AT ALL, so I am kind of doing THAT paper in the air right now). 

Also, my internet connection will be gone after the end of May, and I highly doubt I can write a 7+ chaptered fic in a less then a month with all the crap that is going on now. Plus, I am moving to another state after my finals (on or the day after my last one) are finished, so don't expect more then this chapter (or the next, if I can work Chapter Five in the fray) from me. I don't know when I would have any internet connection in the future (if I ever get it back), so please bear with me while I go through this.

Thank you and enjoy this chapter for what it is worth.

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Chapter Four

The building was bigger inside then it was outside, the twisting hallways entering into rooms that were on the other side of the building itself. Many hallways lead to nowhere in particular, quite possibly leading to somewhere leas that would move into hidden chambers. Or it was a wonderful deterrent for those that broke into the complex to steal the Briefs' idea's and inventions. The other rooms where filled with gadgets and other such technology, many of which were either unfinished or forgotten about by the genius's that lived inside. There were several windows that overlooked the compound while the glass also allowed sunlight to put into the building.

Tien stood in the middle of one of the bigger rooms, his eyes moving along several of the gadgets that had been piled upon silver plated tables. Some were a little dusty from age, time, and misuse, settling into the circuits so that the particles did not allow them to work again. The others were covered in a cloth-like material so that the dust many not enter the gadgets that lay hidden underneath. He couldn't imagine what half of them were for and didn't bother to ask since he figured that he was asking for too much already.

He hadn't been there for then five minutes when he told Bulma of what had happened and how he had found the girl in the rocks. He expected her to blow up at the fact that any kind of woman that lived with Master Roshi was more likely to put into a situation that she didn't like. However, not even two seconds after he had closed his mouth after finishing his tale of playing 'Hero' did she start to go off on why he should have taken her straight to the hospital. He cowered back a little bit, slightly less afraid of her then he was of Goku's wife, Chi-Chi. And who wouldn't be? Both woman were capable of making any strong fighter, with the exception of Vegeta perhaps, fall down to their knees.

Tien had attempted to explain himself moments after Bulma had allowed him to speak, but she cut him off once again, going directly onto the subject of Master Roshi. From what she had said, or least made a point to say, by bringing _any_ female to Roshi's island was the biggest mistake _anyone_ could have made and thus making it harder for that woman to get any rest whatsoever. He managed to cut in, telling the woman in front of him that Rose could take care of herself without anyone there. Besides, Chaotzu was there and he ward off at least Oolong for a while. And, yet, it wasn't the pig she was worried about. It was Roshi that she, or anyone else for that matter, had to really watch out for.

Bulma had gone on for another moment or two before she calmed herself down and asked why he was there other then to tell someone that he had found someone along the rocks. Tien had explained it to her that the woman had no clothing to wear since her own had been too tattered to allow to be worn on anyone. Before Bulma could say anything about that, he jumped on the words that it was actually Oolong's idea for him to come to her for help more so then anyone else. She didn't say anything at first, blinking her eyes at his words as if she was thinking about all the information that she was taking in. It was a couple of moments before she sighed, muttering something under her breath as she left the room alone without any words spoken directly to him.

That had been an hour ago and now Tien was growing even more restless then he had been before. He didn't like leaving Rose alone with Oolong and Roshi even with his friend there with her. Oolong wasn't that bad, but he was no where near being Master Roshi. Of course, if anyone asked the females that had come into contact with the duo, they would have a different opinion in the matter. A small part of him was glad that Chaotzu was with her instead of her being totally alone. However, he still felt that the old man would try to do something even far worse then what he would do to anyone else though Chaotzu would even attempt to constantly push him away. _I don't know why I am so worried about her,_ He thought to himself, turning his eyes away from the gadgets to the window that was on the left of him. _If she could survive being under those rocks for all that time, no matter how long it had been, then she can survive being Roshi for a while._

"Tien?" Bulma's voice asked quietly from behind him. Tien turned around quickly, not expecting her to be there after all this time of being quiet. The blue-haired was standing there, watching him with an amused look on her face.

"Y-yes?" He stammered out, unsure as to how long she had been standing there or what she had been doing.

"Don't look so scared or surprised," She assured him, a smile lighting up her face some. "Maybe you could bring this woman.....what is her name again?"

"Rose, I believe."

"Okay, then. Why don't you bring her here? I am sure she would be much more comfortable here then on Roshi's island. Besides," She stopped for a moment as if she had to thing about her words before she started to speak again, "she will be away from Roshi entirely. I am sure she has been tormented enough by him and that damned pig."

Tien didn't say anything, shifting his eyes away from her nervously. This was his chance to get rid of the girl, but would she be safe there with them? It wasn't really the Briefs that he was that concerned about as they were nice as they could be and really wouldn't do any harm to anyone. It was Vegeta's attitude towards anyone that was something a few could really ignore. Anything could set him off, no matter how small, quite possibly directing his anger towards anyone that was within his range. What would the Saiyan think of Rose? What wouldn't he do to her that he would not hesitate to do to anyone else? 

"Well?" Bulma demanded, placing her hands upon her hips. Tien shrugged sheepishly with a small smile.

"I could ask her if she wants to be here instead of the island," He said quickly. "I know she wouldn't want to be in the same room with Roshi much less a house."

"I am sure of that," She mumbled, taking one hand from her hips, twisting her body around enough to look behind her. She leaned downwards, picking up a small bag before straightening her back and turning towards the other as she held the bag out to him. "Here. There are some of my older clothing that I haven't worn for a while in these bags." She motioned with her other hand to two other bags behind her. "Don't even know why I had bought them in the first place. Must have been spur of the moment." She took another pause at this moment, looking thoughtful. "Think she could also use some make-up? After all, a woman...."

"Uh, no thanks Bulma. I am sure that she will be happy with the clothing that you have, ah....." Tien muttered, stopping as he took the bag from her with a quick nod. "Um, thanks. I owe you."

Before she could say anything, he rushed past her with wide eyes before grabbing the rest of the bags that were behind her. _I don't need Roshi going after her any more then he already is,_ He thought to himself, ignoring Bulma's cries of anger. Whatever she was saying to him he could hear at a later date as he darted down the hallway, ready to get rid of something he never should have gotten in the first place.

****

Things aren't always what they seemed to be even at a second glance and, yet, somehow she lived up to those assumptions. Many believed she was not of this world and there right on some level even if she denied it countless times. They believed that she was out to destroy something and that was correct once again. Perhaps there was something that she wanted to destroy, but didn't say what. However, they were wrong on one assumption: that she had been created by Dr. Gero, the one that had created the Androids and Cell that came about several years prior. The person who had been killed by his own damned creations. The being that never lived to see the destruction of the ultimate power at the hands of a child.

Perhaps they were also right about that. Perhaps there was some truth behind those words that she did not want to hear. No one could be sure what she was until they got a real good look at her body. A body that she would never let anyone see alive. Not even the old man could catch a glimpse of what lay underneath the blanket that she held close to her body. Why should they? This was her privacy and no one else's. She couldn't have someone always trying to sneak a peek at things only a select few could see.

She had ignored the smaller being's questions of food and drink, instead cuddling up even deeper inside the blanket. There were hunger pains that went up and down her body, but she didn't trust them yet. At least, with things that she could consume. Many people believe that she was an android for not wanting to eat and such, but how could they think that if they did not know her? She would eat when she felt like it and not having someone trying to force something down her throat. Besides, her stomach felt more then capable of tossing anything that entered it back out and she figured no one would want to clean that up.

Her eyes closed, mumblings of a life before this escaping her lips. She did not care if anyone came near her as she started to fall into a deep sleep that she did not need.

****

Chaotzu stood upon the circular beach that went around Roshi's house, his eyes watching the blue sky intently. White clouds lazily rolled along, moving over the hazy sun without a care in the world. A light breeze hovered over him, caressing his pale skin as the waves hissed at his ankles. The sounds of the ocean swirled around him, engulfing him in a tangled web of pure watery wilderness. And, yet, the small being totally ignored his surroundings, concentrating fully upon the sky above him. There was more to this place then just the beauty of it all and few people saw that.

He had been standing there for at least a half hour, however that time frame could very well be more or less depending on who he asked. But, he found himself just staring off into a world that he knew he was a part of but just didn't feel like he was. Maybe because of all the things that had been going on in the last few years that made him wonder about whether or not this life was real or it was just some dream that he was living. How could anyone not doubt that people could fly without airplanes or use the energy from within their body?

But that was all far from his mind as he scrunched his eyes in the glaring sun.Tien had been gone for several hours already without a single streak in the sky that indicated that it was him, but it wasn't like Chaotzu was worried about him. He was far from it to be exact. There was no real reason for him to be worried about his friend even if he had been gone for all this time. The thoughts of what Vegeta might do to him had passed in a moment's worth, never really returning in the same form. _Tien can handle himself. He has done it before,_ He thought to himself, closing his eyes to rid himself of the light from above.

"Waiting for Tien to come back, I see," Roshi mused from next to him, causing Chaotzu to snap his eyes open quickly and jump slightly away from where the old was standing. The small being stared at him, the small shock of having someone unknowningly speak jolting through his body before it faded away just as quickly as it had come.

"Not really," Chaotzu muttered back several minutes later as he shook his head, his eyes falling upon the other person that stood at the edge of the foaming water. Roshi didn't say anything as he moved his head up towards the sky, his eye smoving along the few clouds, eventunally lowering down towards the horizon of water and air. "What's wrong? Why aren't you....."

"There's something wrong with that woman," He said in a low voice, causing Chaotzu to strain his ears in order to hear him over the surf of the ocean. "But it isn't in a sense that she is hurt beyond that of what we really know. I don't like it."

"Why? She seems okay enough."

"Yes, but you know just as well as the rest of us that she _couldn't_ have survived that without something else helping her to. Something more then what has already been said."

"Are you saying that Tien is lying?" Chaotzu snapped, narrowing his eyes towards him. Roshi shook his head on those words.

"No, far from it," The Turtle Hermit answered easily. "Rose has the scrapes and cuts on her body to prove that she was underneath something heavy, but that doesn't mean anything. I don't know how heavy these 'rocks' were, but she should have been more hurt then she already is."

"What are you saying? Is she...."

"I don't know _what_ she is, but she doesn't seem human and I know no one here has the courage in them to say anything of it."

"Tien might. He could do it."

"Do you really think Tien is the kind of person to ask demanding questions? He knows what he knows and there is little that can change his ways."

"I know," Chaotzu admitted, taking in a deep breath as his eyes turned back towards the sky. Everything that they knew was being challenged yet again, but it was different in a sense then what had happened in the past and, yet, it was still all in the same. They knew nothing of the situation but still went into it without much thought or knowledge of what was really going on. They had no place in getting involved with something that they originally had no intention of getting themselves into. However, this time around, they had experiance on their side and could easily navigate their way through it. They were ready for whatever was coming their way, but was it all worth it?

"Chaotzu, look!!!" Roshi exclaimed, Chaotzu breaking away from yet another train of thought as he moved his eyes towards the Hermit.

"What?" He mused lazily, staring at him for several moments before moving his own eyes towards where the other was staring at as well. In the distance, a small twinge of light sparkled as a feeling of familiar energy washed over him. Almost immediently, a smile came upon Chaotzu's lips as he chuckled. Maybe now he could stop worrying about everything. Maybe now everything would be alright.

Or, would they?

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To Be Continued

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Author's Note II: Please tell me if I am speeding through or going through the time frame in this fic, meaning that I am making things happen too slowly or too fast for things to happen. See, when I originally started this fic, I had no idea as to what I was going to do next, so I left it hanging. Now, I have _some_ sense as to what is going to happen, but I have to find other things to get the characters from point A to point B then finally to point C. Understand? ^_^ I am confusing, I know.

Alright, have fun waiting for the next chapter because it might be a while. Don't know if I will have time in the next month or so to write any more chapters before I have no 'Net connection whatsoever. Ja'ne!


	6. Chapter 5

**So They Say; Diriat-on**

_Disclaimer:_  I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters.  They are owned by those who own them.  I do, however, own the original characters (if any) and the fic all of this is in.  That is all.

**Chapter Five**

                He saw them from the point where he was flying, a small smile coming to his lips.  He was somewhat glad that there was someone waiting for him even though he knew that they were anxious to know what had happened when he had gone to Bulma for help.  He figured that they wanted the full force of what she had said about Rose, what he had told her, and what Vegeta had thought of this situation.  He could easily tell them two out of the three things that he knew they wanted to know with the only thing that he didn't know about being Vegeta.  Personally, he didn't care what the Saiyan thought or cared about this situation.  Once Rose was out of their hands, the less he would have to worry about her and any trouble she might cause him.

                There was something inside of him that was glad that he had not come up with the idea to go to her for help while something else was nagging at him.  It was probably the feeling of dread of having to tell the woman that she was going somewhere else to stay when she had been there only for a short time.  Was it right to send her off to some place where she did not know about or anyone there?  It wasn't like she really knew anyone at the island either, but that was something different altogether.  At least she had been with them since the day before and looked comfortable with them, but that was just an assumption that he really didn't want to put on her.

                After a short flight, Tien landed upon the shifting sand of the island, the bags from Bulma in his hands.  He was somewhat glad that nothing fell out of them since he didn't want to trek all the way back to Capsule Corp. to get a replacement having already asked Bulma for too much already.  Chaotzu was watching him with interest and intensity that he had never seen in him before while Roshi eyed the bags in almost a drooling state, which was to be expected of him to wonder.  Tien raised an eyebrow at this, already knowing full well what the old man was wanting to take a peek at what was inside those bags.  Chaotzu, on the other hand, was just staring at him intently with those eyes of his.  The three-eyed being felt like he was being babysat by his friend as he placed the bags down onto the ground and straightened his back in order to see their reactions to his being away for such a long period of time.

                "Sorry about taking so long to get back,"  He mumbled, his eyes shifted over towards the rumbling water.  He suddenly felt uncomfortable under his friend's watchful gaze as Chaotzu continued to stare at him for no reason.  He knew he had been too long to get something as small as clothing, but this was Bulma they were silently talking about in their minds.  Besides, things like this took time to do and now he owed the blue-haired woman more then he ever would know or would like to admit.  "She kept me waiting for a while.  By the looks of it, she shouldn't have taken as long as she should have."

                "Kept you waiting for what?"  Roshi asked slyly, eyeing Tien with a small smile and a twinkle in his eyes.  He didn't answer the question verbally as he broke his gaze from the water as he moved his eyes to the house in front of them.  The only two people missing from the occupants were Oolong and Rose, whom he figured where still in the house.  He knew that Rose was probably still on the couch, but the pig was a different matter.  That sent a wave of worry over him that passed in a moment's notice.

                "Where is she?"

                "Inside, asleep for all we know.  Although I doubt she is sleeping as good as she says she is.  I heard her cries last night,"  The old man said simply before he eyed him more.  "Why?"

                "Bulma also offered for her to come and stay with her until she gets better.  I think it is a good idea for....."

                "Why?"  Chaotzu demanded with a certain fierceness in his voice that hadn't been there before.  Both Roshi and Tien turned to him with surprised on their faces and wide eyes to go along with it.  

                "Why, what?"  Roshi asked calmly before Tien could say anything to him.

                "Why doesn't Rose stay here with us?  She would be more comfortable here then she would be with Bulma.  And don't forget Vegeta either.  You know how he is."

                "I've thought about that already, Chaotzu.  Vegeta is Vegeta and no one can change it except for him.  Besides, he is the least of our worries right now.  I--We--don't know what she has been through or what she is and I don't think anyone here has questioned her yet about it,"  Tien snapped, narrowing his eyes at the small being in front of him.  

                "Then why don't you ask her then?  It would be easier to ask then to wonder."

                "Why didn't you do that while I was gone?"

                "I didn't want to ask her anymore then what you have.  She needs to stay here despite us knowing little about her."

                "She has no reason to be here.  We don't know her nor what she truly is.  After everything that has happened in the last ten years, I am surprised none of us has learned anything from it."

                "Learned from what?"  Chaotzu cried out shrilly, his voice rising some.  "From watching everything go by us?"

                "Yes, watching everything.  Watching as our friends died for something that they should not have gotten involved with.  Watching as this damned planet was threatened several times by beings that were far more powerful then what we could handle.  Watching what chance we had to have what Trunks has in _his_ future!"  Tien shouted out, not caring if his voice floated into the house at this moment.  By this time, he figured the woman already knew more then this, then that might have a chain reaction to other people knowing if she would ever get out into the world.  But, was secrecy so important now?  He was becoming even more tired of hiding the things he was a part of like he had done so much so in the past.  "Things will happen, Chaotzu, and she will be safer with someone who can defend her better then we can."

                "Do you mean to tell us you know what is going to happen in the future?"  Roshi whispered, looking up at Tien's third eye.  It was known that this third eye was capable of seeing things that no ordinary people could see, but it had become useless since all could sense and know things that the eye used to see.

                "No, I don't know what is going to happen, but I know if something does happen, it will come here as well.  As much as I hate to admit it, Vegeta can fight better.  Not us."

                "If we train harder, then....."  Chaotzu began before he was cut off.

                "No, Chaotzu.  No amount of training will _ever have us at the same level as Vegeta or Gohan or even Goku.  We can't do more then help where we can and then back off.  We aren't Saiyans, you know.  We can't do things the way they can."_

                "Are you giving up?"

                "No, I am not.  I am just telling myself that we can't protect her as much as someone else can."

                "Tien, listen to what you are saying!  Are you telling us that you rather have her be with a crazy, maniacal Saiyan that would probably kill her the moment he sees her instead of..."

                "I never said he'd really do anything for her.  It is just something that will be a precaution just in case something _does happen,"  Tien cut in once again, becoming more impatient with him then he had been in the past.  He then picked up the bags that he had placed on the ground, walking through them without a thought.  Both moved out of the way, watching him move through the open of the house as he went in.  _

                They stood there without word, wondering what was really going on with him.

****

                He knew that he was going to get more complaining that day more so then he had gotten in the last few years of his life.  Once Tien had gotten inside the house, he knew he'd be face an angry Rose at those words that he knew she had overheard being said between the three that had been outside.  However, instead of being awake and listening to the conversation that had just taken place, the woman was asleep on the couch, the blanket pulled tightly over her.  Tien stared at her, fluming silently inside about this situation that was unfolding in front of him.  He was becoming more confused about her then he had when she first came to the island the day before.  What was it about her that was making it worse then it should be?  Was it because she was different then anyone else that they had met before her?  Or was it because they didn't know what she was or where she had been before?

                He placed the bags of clothing down onto the ground once again, his eyes upon the sleeping form of her.  There were few people that he knew that could probably sleep through two voices that were shouting no less then twenty feet away and with the door open that would allow the intensity of those voices to float in even more.  Yet, she could have that ability to sleep through that, but he didn't want to push his luck any more then he was already.

                "I know you are awake, Rose, so don't pretend,"  Tien said sharply.  "You heard what we were saying in some sense or another."

                "Huh?"  Rose muttered in a poorly tired voice, her emerald eyes opening slowly  They fell upon the one that was standing before her for a moment or two then moved down to the bags by his feet.  "Is that..."

                "Yes, it is.  Now answer me."

                "Answer you what?  You never asked me a question."

                "How much did you hear of our conversation?"

                "Um...."  Rose started, pushing herself into a sitting position without dropping the blanket from her body.  Her eyes darted around nervously like she was trying to figure out what to say to this question that was placed before her.  Tien took in a small breath as he crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for his answer no matter how long it took for her to give it to her.  "Do you want the truth?"

                "Yes, I do,"  He told her.  "And try not to lie to me."

                "Well, I heard some of it,"  She said slowly, dragging on so that she seemingly wouldn't have to answer it fully.  "The voices were muffled for the most part, so I couldn't understand what was really being said out there."

                "What _did_ you understand?"

                "The parts where you don't trust me,"  She said softly, her eyes dropping down to the ground.  "You assume that I am one thing while I am another.  Just like everyone else."

                "People only assume to make up for what they do not know or understand,"  Tien replied simply, knowing full well of those words.  "You haven't said much about yourself, so I can only assume as little as you tell us."

                "Do you want to know the truth about me?"  Rose hissed, her eyes quickly moving up towards him.  "Do you want to know what hell I have gone through?"

                "Yes, I do.  It would save me and everyone else in this house the trouble of assuming."

                "Trouble?  Is that all that I am to you is trouble?"

                "Possibly.  I don't know who you are or if you are even human."

                "Why do you have to understand someone by asking about their past?"  She wondered to him with narrowed eyes.  

                "It would give me and everyone else more understanding about who and what you are."

                "I'll tell you when you are ready,"  She said, standing up with the blanket still wrapped around her.  She took several steps forwards, a little bit more painfully then she had done so before as she came closer to Tien.  "Right now, your mind could not understand what has happened to me and to the things that I once knew."

                "I have seen things of mine lost in battles that should not have been fought.  I have seen what the Androids have done to my friends and their families.  I have watched from a distance at what damage Frieza did to a race that did not deserve his wraith.  I have seen more then what you know of,"  He snapped, gazing into the darkness of her eyes.  "So, do _not_ tell me that my mind is not ready to understand what you know."

                "Do you...."  Rose's voice stopped short as she turned her head to the side, her eyes going wide.  She listened for several moments, her mouth opening and closing several times like she was trying to say something to an invisible person  Tien watched her with more interest then he should have showed, his posture not moving from what it was.  

                "What is it?"  He asked, wondering if he should even know what was going on with her now. 

                "How many Androids did you defeat?"  She asked, a question that took him back.

                "Excuse me?"  

                "The Androids.  How many?"

                "I......"  He started, staring at her without really knowing what to say.  Why did she want to know about the Androids so suddenly?  It wasn't like they were any of her concern to know about them.  

                "Answer me, damn it!!!"

                "Six.  Five of them had been created either organically, by fusing humans with cyborg technology, or were totally mechanical.  The last one was Gero himself."

                "Liar,"  Rose growled, her head not turning back to the same position that it had been before.   "There weren't six of them."

                "Look, I was there.  I saw all of them.  Unless everyone there couldn't count how many there were, there were _six_ of them.  Cell, Gero, Androids 16, 17, 18, and 19.  _Six."_

                "Six that you _know_ of.  Gero didn't stop at Cell.  He wasn't _that_ stupid, you know."

                "Rose, what do you know about Gero and his Androids?"  Tien demanded, uncrossing his arms from around his chest and putting them upon her upper arms.  By this time, Roshi and Chaotzu had come into the house, their ears listening in on the conversation with startled expressions on their faces.  Oolong had come out of the back rooms where he had been before at some point during the time that Tien himself had come in and this point.  All of them were staring at Rose, who had now turned her head back towards him.  "Rose, please answer me because this is important.  When Trunks came from the future the second time around, things were different then what he originally thought it was.  Because of his traveling from the future, our time line became different then his.  There were four more Androids then what there were during his time.  How many more Androids did Gero create?"

                "One more.  One more then what you know of,"  She said in a deadpan voice, her eyes staring into his.

                "And you are the one that he created?"

                "No, I am not,"  Rose said in a low voice.  

                "Then how do you know of this then?"

                "I just do, alright?"  She snapped, tears forming at the base of her eyes.  "Please, I beg of you.  Don't ask any more questions or send me to any other place.  I don't want to repeat what had happened before.  Let me stay here for another couple of days then I can go back to collecting the Dragon Balls so that I can get this all over with."

                "Why do you want the Dragon Balls, Rose?"  Chaotzu asked from behind Tien.  "Why are they so important to you?"

                "Do you want me to explain?  Do you really want to know?"  She asked, putting her hands upon Tien's wrist so that both of them were now bound together tightly.  He stared at her, taking note of the fear that was in her voice and on her face.  There was something that was not right about her that made him think she was trying to weasel her way back into the outside world and to the Dragon Balls.  For whatever reason she had for using them, she wasn't going to get them.  It was too dangerous for someone to use the wish to resurrect someone or something that had been killed in the past.

                And knowing was something he did not want to put into his mind.

**To Be Continued**

_Author's Note:_  Yes, I managed to do another chapter of this fic.  The only thing I have left to do with my papers for college is to do the final draft of my Research Paper for English and I will be done.  I will, however, still be moving to the beach (three blocks from the nice, warm beach.  THREE BLOCKS!!  Warm weather.  Good looking guys in bathing suits.  *drools*  Um, okay......I suppose I'll be getting death threats now.....you know my email address) soon, so I don't know if the next chapter will be out before I lose my 'Net connection.

Next, I want to know if I am making Rose too much of a Mary Sue character.  I don't want her to be this all-knowing, all-powerful bitch that no one wants to have in a fic.  Just a little bit of feedback is all I am asking.  : )  Thanks in advance!!!!


	7. Chapter 6

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So They Say; Dirait-on

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Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters. They are owned by those who own them. I do, however, own the original characters (if any) and the fic all of this is in. That is all.

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Chapter Six

Time seemed to move more slowly then it had before for him as Tien sat on the couch where Rose had been sleeping not too long ago. The bags in which Bulma's 'donated' old clothing were in sat behind the couch itself, waiting for their new owner to go through them once again. Rose had gone through them about twenty minutes ago, picking out what she wanted before she disappeared into one of the back rooms with the clothing in hand. Chaotzu had to refrain both Roshi and Oolong from bothering her while she changed from the blanket and into her new clothes. He had glanced over at the one that was sitting upon the couch for some help in this with no such luck.

Tien had spent the last ten minutes thinking over what Rose had told them when he had asked her what she knew. More androids? Now? Of course it was impossible to think that there were any more to worry about since Trunks had been wrong about how many that was in his timeline. It hadn't been his fault really; he just didn't know that his time traveling was going to change a different timeline as much as it had done so. Maybe he had changed time once again. That could happen. Maybe.

"She has been in there for a while," Chaotzu commented wearily a few moments later like had had just noticed that fact. "Shouldn't one of us go check on her in case she tries to do something we don't know of?"

"I'll go!" Roshi exclaimed excitedly from his position in front of the TV. He and Oolong had given up trying to get past Chaotzu and settled down in front of the screen. He had only broken away from the scantly clad women on the screen to answer the question, but was given a hard look instead of an actual answer.

"Tien?" Chaotzu whispered, walking to the end of the couch meekly as he stared at his friend.

"Yes?" Tien replied, his eyes darting over towards him.

"Are you going to make sure Rose is okay? She has been in the back for a while now and it shouldn't take her this long to get dressed."

"She is fine. Not like she is going to get away or anything of the sort." He then turned his eyes back forwards with a light sigh. "There are hundreds of miles of ocean around the island itself. Even if we don't know who she is or what she can do, it would be near impossible to swim away even if she wanted to. Unless, of course, she can swim long distances."

"That is not why I want you to check up on her. It is for a different reason entirely then what you think it is, Tien."

"Then why do you want me to check on her if you are so damned worried about her?"

"She isn't in the best of moods right now and she might try to do something to herself," Chaotzu said in a hushed voice as he looked down at the ground. Tien looked over at him with a raised eyebrow, an interested look appearing on his face. If Rose had wanted to do something to herself, wouldn't shave done that something already? It wasn't like she was and had been alone at other times in the house to do things to herself or to other people that were around her. There had been plenty of chance to do that, so why didn't she do it already?

"Chaotzu, if you are so worried about her, why don't you check upon her yourself? It would be a lot easier for you to do it then to ask someone else to," Tien asked him. Chaotzu looked up, his eyes meeting the others. He was about to say something when another voice interrupted.

"I can tell that you two are talking about me again. Shame on you," Rose said from behind the couch. Tien jumped up from his sitting position, turning around to face the woman. He hadn't expected her to be standing there, listening to what the two had been talking about. She was now wearing a light blue shirt with a pair of black pants that was a size too big for her. Her hands her upon her hips with her lips in a thin line as her eyes stared daggers at Chaotzu and Tien.

"Uh, Rose.....how long have you been standing there?" Chaotzu stammered out a minute later, his eyes flickering away from her and Tien and then back again.

"Long enough to understand what you two were saying."

"Chaotzu was just worried that was something was wrong with you," Tien said first before the other could, finding his voice. Rose moved her eyes solely upon him as they flickered with some interest. For a single moment, he felt a twinge of fear run through his veins before it had passed just as quickly as it had come.

"And why is that?" She wondered icily before she nodded towards the two that were glued to the TV and had not noticed that she had come out. "Did you think that they were going to do something? That I was going to do something to myself? Or do you think I could actually swim from here to wherever else I would want to go by myself?"

"Well....." Chaotzu started, glancing over towards Tien before looking at her once again. Rose raised an eyebrow at this, a soft chuckle coming from her lips. 

"I figured as much," The woman said as she leaned forwards on the couch.

"What, he isn't allowed to wonder what you are doing? Can't he try to keep those two from trying to peek at you?" Tien asked defensibly. Rose rolled her eyes at this.

"You've been doing nothing but wonder what I am, what I am looking for, or any other kind of information that you don't know since I have come. Why is that?"

"We need to know who you are and why you were under those rocks. Without information, we start to make assumptions. Those assumptions might lead to something more then what you, I, or anyone might like."

"Which I don't want to hear right now," Rose grumbled, her eyes moving downwards. "But I don't want to give too much information."

"Why not?" Tien demanded sourly.

"Then I would have to kill you over it."

Tien and Chaotzu stared at her, their mouths dropping open some. Rose shifted uncomfortably in her position against the couch, her eyes darting over the top of the couch nervously. They didn't understand what was going one; why couldn't she tell them more then they already knew? What was she so afraid of that she couldn't tell them?

"Kill us?" Chaotzu inquired a little bit nervously. By this time, Roshi and Oolong had broken away from the TV and were staring at her with more interest then they had before. "All over information?"

"The universe revolves around several things, information and power being the major ones of them all. If one person knows something that will benefit him and that would possibly destroy everything else, he will keep it to himself. To hell with everyone else is that person's motto," Rose said, looking over at Chaotzu. "If someone else knows, then things are different and that person would lose the security he had before. It would be different in a sense that a person has to keep quiet about something even though he knows it will kill him if he told."

"Who? Who are you afraid of? Gero?" Tien asked, kneeling onto the couch so that he wasn't that far away from her face. Rose nodded slightly, her eyes meeting hers in a fearful glance. Then Tien burst out laughing.

"What? What is so damned funny?" Rose growled out, glaring at him angrily. "Gero isn't someone to laugh about."

"Unless he has been dead for two years," Tien said, his laughter subsiding after a few moments. At this point, Roshi, Chaotzu, and Oolong were staring at him like he was going crazy or sprouting a new head. The woman just had a horrified look on her face like he had just sprouted a second head. "Rose, Gero was killed two years ago by two of his own creations. There is no threat to you or anyone else for that matter."

"Tien, Gero lives through his machines that he has created! Even if he is killed physically and mentally, there is always the things he has left behind. The things that he knows, his ties to the Red Ribbon Army, the information he has collected through the years--if I tell you what I know now, bad things might happen. Terrible things."

"They can't be anything worse then what we have been through already. We've seen the destruction of a planet, Frieza's death--twice if that much, and what the androids have done," Tien informed her after his laughter had stopped. "If a child can defeat something with tremendous power, then there is nothing to worry about now. There is _nothing_ that harm this planet again."

Rose gave him a look of disbelief as she moved around the couch and stomped towards the doorway. She moved out of it without much of a look behind her to see the confused and wondering looks they were giving her. Tien took in a deep breath, a sigh escaping his lips as he slowly turned around towards the door to stare out of it. Chaotzu was staring at it as well, confused at what had just happened. He then moved his eyes back to his friend, a blank look on his face.

"Maybe one of us should see if she is okay," Chaotzu offered, inching slowly over towards the doorway. Tien shook his head on that.

"No. Let her be alone for a while," He instructed lightly, sitting back down onto the couch. "Once she calms down, then maybe she can tell us what she knows."

"Is that all you want from her? Don't you care if she doesn't want to tell us what might be true?"

"If it helps us know more then we do, then yes. Even if it is not true, then we would be prepared anyways. Chaotzu, there may be something out there that she knows about and won't tell us about it. Would you rather have her be silent about it and let things happen the way they shouldn't have to or should we keep asking so this planet won't repeat what it went through two years ago?" Tien demanded curtly. Chaotzu did not answer the question, his eyes forming a glare towards him before he stepped towards the door. He lingered there for a moment or two before walking out the door. Tien stared at the doorway even more so then before, anger flowing through his eyes. All he wanted was to know what was going on with her, but it was becoming more trouble then what it was worth to him.

****

She now stood at the mouth of the ocean, her bare feet holding onto the sand tightly. She wanted to jump into the blue water and swim somewhere far away from the island no matter how far away it was. Any place was better then this part of the world, even if it was at the bottom of the deep ocean. It would be better then living a lie for a life that she had been living for far too long.

"You know he doesn't mean a lot of what he says, right?" A small voice commented from behind her. She didn't acknowledge his presence, ignoring him as she closed her eyes gently. She listened to the ocean's wind, a free feeling washing over her.

She knew that the small being was still behind her, waiting for her to answer his lingering question. Yet, she continued to ignore him, the untold secrets whispering to her through the wind. It wasn't that she didn't hate him or feel any dark emotions towards him at all; it was the question that she didn't like. She didn't want to think about the one who was inside that she felt anger towards.

"Rose?" The voiced asked again, this time with a response to it. Rose opened her green eyes, her body moving around to face the other. She had to look down to watch him, her gaze shifting over him.

"Chaotzu, right?" Rose asked, kneeling down in front of him. He nodded, a forced smile coming onto his lips. "Listen, your friend asks too many questions. He is going to get himself killed one day."

"We just want to know if there are any more androids out there."

"You are starting to sound like him, you know that?" She said hastily, standing up quickly. She crossed her arms over her chest as she turned to face the ocean once again, her eyes moving over the water. "Just because I know something doesn't mean that I need to tell anyone. What you don't know won't hurt you.

"What we didn't know _did_ kill us, but not in this timeline. If Trunks hadn't come from the future, we wouldn't be here now," Chaotzu said, walking next to her. "Tien doesn't want what happened two years ago to repeat itself. No one does."

"What happened?" Rose asked, glancing down at him before returning her gaze to the sea.

"People were killed by 17 and 18 before they were absorbed by Cell. Cell then challenged the Earth to a tournament in which Tien, myself, and our friends were a part of." Chaotzu took in a deep breath before continuing. "Before he was defeated, Cell took the life of one of our friends. Although he did it to save us and to give his son a chance at fighting, Goku still was killed."

"Goku?" She wondered, turning her head towards him. Chaotzu nodded slowly. "He is dead?"

"Yes, he is," A voice said from the doorway of the house. Rose and Chaotzu turned their heads over their shoulders to see Tien standing there, his eyes watching them. "You suddenly want to know things as well. Why is that?"

"T\You can't be the only one who can ask questions," She said mysteriously, turning around to face him. "Now can you?"

"No, but we would also like to know about the other androids. Where are they?"

"I'll tell you in time, but first I'd like to take your friend up on her offer. Perhaps things will revel themselves in time," Rose said, a light smile coming onto her lips. Tien watched her for a moment, wondering if this was the right thing to do before sighing.

"Very well. I am sure Bulma will be happy to have you there," He muttered under his breath, turning around before walking back into the house. They watching him go, a fog clouding their vision. Only time could truly tell what was going on, but did they have any to spare?

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To Be Continued

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Author's Note: Things will pick up in the next couple of chapters, but everyone is going to have to wait until I actually finish my finals (two down, two to go), get to where I am moving to, and get the 'Net connection. Hopefully, I will have my _own_ computer with 'Net connection in my room (I have a computer already, but that thing is about 10 years old......) so that I won't have to worry about anything. Anyways, please be patient with everything. This will be the last chapter I write for a while. Ja'ne!


	8. Chapter 7

**So They Say; Dirait-on**

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters. They are owned by those who own them. I do, however, own the original characters (if any) and the fic all of this is in. That is all.

**Chapter Seven**

It was a quiet place; an island many miles from the largest continent and the largest cities. There were many people living on this island on different parts of it, broken into three different cities that would light up each night after the sun went down over the edge of the horizon. These weren't big cities or had a large population; just enough to enjoy life as it was so peacefully after Cell. There seemingly wasn't anything to shatter this peace for hundreds of miles around.

There were simple people that lead simple lives in the cities, going about life like they had for many years. People that went to work almost every day of the week almost like it was a part of their daily lives, while the kids went to school to learn things that they could not learn any where else. There were several people that took off of work for the day to browse the shops that lined the streets of new and old. Some walked alone to the next stop, some with a friend or a group of people that walked into a ice cream parlor; some even had a dog or a cat with them as they left random pet shops.

There was always something to offer in one city or another, the shops and lifestyles varying from place to place. People lead different lives in different parts of this island, sometimes wondering what other's did in their weekends. Very few tried to live different lives, only to discover that they could no longer live outside their own routines or their own cities. It was just the way they were and nothing could ever change that.

And, yet, there was a wilderness outside these cities that few even bothered to go out of. Several roads linked the three cities together, allowing others to sample another's way of life. Few people ventured out of their home city at night or early day to see what was on the outside, only going if they had to. It wasn't out of fear or other beliefs but a chilling reminder that there was always something that could be out there in the untamed land, watching and waiting for the one wrong move.

There was something that was lurking out in this particular wilderness that none knew of, watching everyone closely from a distance. This something wasn't even aware of itself at the present moment, becoming used to the new-found freedom that it had. What would it do to the innocent people who went about their business without a thought as to what lurked outside their homes at this very moment? How would it go about enjoying the life it never had a chance to touch even for a single moment in time? No one knew or seemed to care either way for this creature that was created by human hands.

This was this something's chance to be what it wanted to be without hindrance as it slowly descended upon the ground, it's fate awaiting it.

"I'll take her to Bulma's now if you don't mind. The sooner she leaves, the sooner we don't have to worry about her," Tien snapped as he took the two bags from behind the couch without much thought to what he was actually doing. Roshi and Oolong bad broken themselves away from the TV after whatever show they had been watching was long since over, staring at what was happening like it was something new on TV. Chaotzu was standing in the middle of the doorway, watching Tien as he turned around to face the small being.

"Why can't she stay here for a little while longer?" He whispered softly as his friend walked up to him without word and with the bags in his hands. Tien stared out of the door, watching the blue ocean move like it always had in the years before this day. Rose stood on the edge of the beach with her back turned towards the house and her arms clasped over her chest. She was staring at nothing in particular, perhaps just watching the waves gather at a distant point before rolling up to the shore. Or she was just watching the sand move in the wind, moving against her bare ankles like the watery waves against a lone seagull. Whatever she was doing, it wasn't paying attention to those that were standing at the doorway, ready to go.

"Let's go, Rose. It will take several hours to get to Bulma's. It might even take a little while longer, depending on certain things," Tien informed her blandly after a few moments of silence between them. He ignored Chaotzu's presence, pushing past him in order to get outside into the fresh air. Rose turned her upper body to the side, her emerald eyes watching him move towards her without much thought to those that were watching him from inside the house.

"What certain things?" She asked coolly, her eyes flickering slightly.

"How many people see us in the air and how fast you want me to go," He said curtly and without his usual smile. "The faster I fly, the faster we can get there. Now, climb upon my back."

"What? Why?"

"Look, do you want to get off of this damned island or what?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then the only way you will get of it fast enough is to hold onto my back and I can fly you there. Either that or you can swim to Capsule Corp. Your choice."

Rose gave him a look of pure hatred, her body turning around slowly to face him. She stood there for a moment, considering the few options she had before she walked over towards Tien with a walk that would melt any guy's heart. He didn't say anything to her as she uncrossed her arms when she got behind him all the way and without any word to him as well. Once she placed her arms around his neck, he tightened his grip on the bags so that he wouldn't lose either one although they seemed a lot heavier this time around then when he first came this way around.

"I suggest you hold on tight because the force of gravity might throw you off just a bit," Tien told her when he was sure Rose had a firm grip around his neck. Although he really didn't care what happened to her up to this point, it would be useless to have her fall off of him and into the water below if it didn't seem like he care. Besides, there were still a few things that he wanted to know from her and didn't want her to be dead before she could tell anyone.

Before Rose could say anything to that, Tien pushed himself off from the ground, the wind knocking her breath from her lips. It took a moment or two of struggling to get the much needed oxygen back to her lungs but, ,by then, they were at least a mile or two away from the island already. Rose took in a deep breath and a peek down below them, her eyes twitching over the height that they were at.

"Um, can't you go a little bit closer down to the water?" Rose asked nervously, moving her eyes away from the water.

"We are at a safe enough height to where if I lose my balance somehow," Tien paused as if he was trying to implicate the girl on something before continuing one, "I'll have enough time to regain it without falling into the water."

"And me?" She inquired, glancing back at the island which now was seemingly farther away then it had been before. "What would happen to me if you somehow lost your balance?"

"It depends, really."

"On what exactly?"

"If you hold onto me tightly enough, you'll be fine," Tien said with a short laugh. Rose tightened her grip around his neck, forcing him to choke some. As if to retaliate against that, Tien began to drift down towards the water, slowly turning onto one side. Rose let out a small shriek, her now dangling legs moving quickly around his waist so that she wouldn't fall into the ever moving water.

"Pull up, damn it!" She growled when they were flying nor more then a foot above the water. She loosened her grip around his neck, in which case Tien turned his body the right way around. He was trying not to laugh at her, which was harder to do then to just hold it in. He continued to skin along the water for another couple of minutes before moving back up towards the same height he had been at before. "Don't do that again. Why, if something had happened there to make you lose your balance..."

"...we would have crashed into the water, possibly breaking a few bones in the process or worse," He finished for her. "It is a tricky business, flying. Need to know how to do it right before you can go long distances without help. Of course, it isn't hard to learn how to do if you have someone that can teach you how to do it right. Someone like yourself could probably learn how to do it in a week or two, depending on how fast you want and can learn."

"Teach me, then," Rose said as she let go of his neck and slid her hands to his shoulders. "If it is that easy, then teach me."

"Do you want to go back to the island?"

"No. You could teach me at your friends place," She opted with a light smile. Tien shook his head on that.

"I doubt Vegeta would like me to come there every day for a week or so to teach you how to fly. Even so, there is a greater doubt he would teach you anything," He added before the woman could say anything else on that.

"If you took me somewhere, would you teach me? Each day, I mean. I am sure your friend wouldn't mind," Rose offered swiftly. "And, to give thanks for teaching me, I can tell you a little bit about the place where Gero created one of the Androids. At least, give you an idea about it."

"Deal then," Tien said quickly before either once could change their minds about it. "So, where _did_ Gero create it?"

"Tsk, tsk, Tien. I will tell you _after_ you teach me how to fly. It is only fair and I promise I won't back out, either. It would be kind of hard for me to leave you hanging, now wouldn't it?"

Tien grumbled something under his breath that she couldn't hear, thoughts racing through his head. He would _finally_ get some more information from her; that is, if she lived up to her word. There was something that he didn't trust about her and, yet, he didn't know what that something was. He knew that she was still a total stranger to him now, but that wasn't it. He had known people for a lesser period of time and had a certain level of trust with them.

He attempted to push that thought out of his mind as they continued on without word, the wind telling them everything that they needed to know.

Back on the island, Chaotzu was till standing inside the doorway, fuming that he had been ignored like that by his friend. He knew that Tien wasn't in the right mood to be that talkative, but he still should have been able to say at least two words to him and the others inside the house. Getting Rose off of the island was more important to him then it was talking to one of his friends at the moment.

Behind him, Roshi insisted that he at least call Bulma to warn her that Tien was coming with Rose. He figured that Tien had been lucky last time to not have encountered Vegeta first or Bulma on one of her bad days. If she was warned in advanced that she was getting two visitors, then maybe she could stash the Saiyan somewhere for the time being. So, that was exactly what he was doing: talking to Bulma about the current situation. From what it sounded like on Roshi's end, there seemed to be a mixture of pure surprise, delight, and 'what the hell was he thinking' coming from Bulma's end. That somehow didn't deter Roshi from telling her otherwise.

"I can't believe her," He mumbled ten minutes later when he put down the phone onto the hook. Oolong poked his head from inside the kitchen, an interested look appearing on his face.

"What was that all about?" Oolong asked as he took a bite into the sandwich that was in his hand. "Couldn't sweet talk her into coming here for us?"

"Bulma said she didn't think that Tien would bring her so quickly to Capsule Corp. From the way that she said, she thought Rose didn't want to come. But she agreed to let her stay there for a month or so before Rose has to leave." Roshi looked thoughtful for a moment before a wide grin came across his lips. "If we can't get Bulma to come here, maybe Rose could come back, looking better then before."

"It wouldn't be better if she didn't come back at all," Chaotzu put in blandly, looking hover his shoulder at the two who were inside. "Then we wouldn't need to worry about who knows what about anything. After all, she could be lying to us about it. We can't be sure."

"Even if she is, ,don't you think we would be wiser just in case she isn't?" Oolong asked after he swallowed what was in his mouth. "It would be a precaution."

"To what? Living in fear of something we don't know if it is true or not?"

Roshi opened his mouth to say something about this then stopped short when he noticed the look on Chaotzu's small face. He remained quit instead, giving Oolong a sideways glance before looking down towards the ground. There was an awkward silence that followed as Chaotzu turned his head back towards the ocean without word. Tien and Rose were out of sight now, going towards Capsule Corp. with a blinding speed. _I hope he knows what he is doing,_ Chaotzu thought bitterly as he continued to stare at the distant horizon in total silence.

It hadn't taken him long to get to the Capsule Corp. building complex; a couple of hours was all that it took to get there. Rose had insisted that Tien had to go as fast as he could without really going too fast. There were times, however, that she had ordered him to go a little bit slower, but he ignored some of those requests. He wanted to drop her off with Bulma as fast as he could so that he could get back to the island without any more problems. By now, Tien was kicking himself for agreeing to teach her hw to fly. It would, at least, get him a little bit more information then he knew at the present time.

Tien had gone slower through the city, stopping on one rooftop before jumping quickly onto the next. He did this several times with Rose's gasps and cries of surprise. He ignored those as well, concentrating on what he had to do at the present moment. It took him several more jumps onto rooftops before finding one that had a dark alley next to it. tine casually flew down into it, silencing Rose all the way down. Once he landed, he walked to the entrance to the alley and made sure that no one would see them coming out of it. When the coast was clear, he walked quickly out of it and with her still clinging to his back.

He had walked to and a half miles before ordering Rose off of his back. It took some coaxing but she finally got down onto the ground after several minutes of doing so. She followed Tine closely the rest of the way to the building complex where they were met by a half angry, half nervous Bulma Briefs. She, at first, didn't seem thrilled at the idea of seeing Tien again, but after careful explaining about Roshi and Oolong, Bulma's expression softened a great deal.

"I know what it is like to have those two come after you," Bulma said with a light smile as she beckoned the two inside the housing building of the complex. Tien went first behind Bulma while Rose lingered for a moment before quickly following suit. Once inside, her eyes went wide as she looked around everywhere.

"Wow. So _this_ is Capsule Corp.," Rose mused, turning around several times before realizing she had been left behind. She hurriedly caught up with the two, who had not heard her musing. The three moved down one of the many corridors of the building, shortly coming upon the kitchen. Bulma stepped in further into the room then the other two, placing her hands upon her hips as she stared at the nearly finished turkey that sat upon the counter.

"Can't Vegeta clean up his damned mess?" Bulma grumbled to herself. "I can't believe he almost ate the whole thing and it is not even dinner time. We have to get food almost every single day of the week. Damn Saiyan. I suppose you can either wait until dinner or eat something now before he does again for the fifth time since noon."

"Um...what's a Saiyan?" Rose asked innocently from next to Tien. Bulma clamped both of her hands overtop her mouth, turning around to face her two visitors. Tien gave her a look while Rose looked even more confused then ever before.

"Don't worry about that right now, Rose," Tien said carefully as he set the two bags onto the ground and started to back up. "Listen, I will be back in two days to start your training, okay?"

"Training? What training?" Bulma asked irritably as she placed her hands back onto her hips.

"Tien is going to teach me how to fly in exchange for me teaching him something," Rose said nervously, looking from one person to another. Before Bulma could say or ask anything about that, Tien gave a wave and a wink before dashing away down the same path that they had just gone across.

"He did that to me earlier. Something is wrong with him," Bulma muttered as she rolled her eyes at this. Rose didn't notice as she placed her own eyes down upon the ground, silently wishing for this to be over and done with as soon as possible.

**To Be Continued**

_Author's Note:_ I have Internet connection again, so yay?


	9. Chapter 8

**So They Say; Dirait-on**

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Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters. They are owned by those who own them. I do, however, own the original characters (if any) and the fic all of this is in. That is all.

****

Chapter Eight

He never thought he would have to see her ever again in his life, but he was doing just that at this very moment. Seeing her yet again. A promise was a promise in his view and he was going to get a little bit more information at the end of her flying lessons then he had done so before. What was the real harm of putting up with her for a week at the most? It wasn't like he was going to spend forever with her, trying to coax what little information she might have to tell him. In the very end, it would be worth every moment that he desperately did not want to spend. At least, he hoped so.

Once Tien had come back to Roshi's island after dropping the girl off at Capsule Corp., he was greeted by an angry Chaotzu that looked like he was about to do more damage then he was capable of doing. There had been several angry words exchanged between them, nothing more then that at that present time. Everyone had been silent for the most part for the remainder of the two days, hardly even acknowledging each other's presence. It was good to have some silence in between all of the yelling and demanding that had gone on two days prior. After everything was said and done, he would make it up to them in any way that he could find.

Now, as he went back to the place he had been dreading to go to since the twilight hours of that day, Tien felt a nervous feeling begin to boil at the pit of his stomach. It wasn't because he probably had to face an angry Bulma that had been jilted by him leaving so soon twice in a row or a threatening Vegeta that could probably kill him just with a look; he just didn't know what he was getting himself to with these training sessions. Sure, Rose looked harmless indeed on the outside, but what if she wanted to learn more then just flying from him? There was only so much Tien could teach her without going overboard with it and risking more then just his life. He barely knew Rose, figuring she would do more bad then good if she learned more then she had to. He just had to teach her the flying bit and he would be fine. For now, at least.

Tien took in a sigh as he slowly drifted down towards the pavement in front of the Capsule Corp. building complex. There were few people walking along the streets at this hour, and for good reason too; the clouds above had started to turn darker with rain, moving about the sky as they blocked the sun from view. It was a bad sign that was showing itself completely, one that Tien did not heed as he quickly walked along the sidewalk, his eyes glancing up at the buildings of the complex. Genius had created these very bricks, the same genius in which made Bulma Briefs be at the same strength as any grand fighter. Without her help, many of the things the small band of hero's knew would have never reached their ears and the places they had gone to would have never been reached. Things would have been different if it was not for her.

"Tien?" A light voice called from somewhere behind him. Tien stopped walking, turning his head slightly back to see Rose running towards him from one of the buildings. He was somewhat put to rest that he did not have to face Bulma for he would have a hell of a time explaining as to why he had left so suddenly twice in one day. "It is about time you got here. Been waiting for you."

"Really?" He answered, turning to face her completely as she came to a halt in front of him. Their eyes met briefly before he turned his away. "Why were you waiting? For how long?"

"Not that long, really." She shrugged. "Besides, I think Bulma is out for blood today. Now I see what you mean about Vegeta. He's been a real pain about training and things."

"You have no idea," Tien mused in a low tone so that she would not hear him, surprising a smile from her. He may not know Vegeta as well as the others, but he knew enough to last him for the rest of his life. Course, he didn't know what Bulma had told rose about the Saiyan, yet he hoped it was enough to satisfy her for a while.

"So, teach me how to fly. I've been waiting for a while," Rose prompted almost a little too eagerly. Tien looked down at her with raised eyebrows. He didn't want to assume that there was something else that she wanted to know, but for now he wasn't going to ask her about it. 

"Not around here I'm not. A little risky in more ways then one," He informed her, glancing up at a passing couple. "Like I am sure you know by now, there are some people that don't like what they don't know while some are too fascinated by it for their own damn good."

"I have learned that already by now."

"That is why I need to start and finish your training where there are few if any people lurking around to know what is going on. Besides, the weather doesn't look too good around here, and I don't want to interfere with whatever training Vegeta has planned for himself today."

"Where would we go then if now here? Somewhere in the city?""

"No. Even if we were to hide ourselves good enough for you to learn, there is always that risk, greater if it is around more people. I'll take you there myself. Climb onto my back," He prompted her. Rose looked purely disgusted at the thought of having to rid one Tien's back again, but she compiled without any heard complaint. Once he was sure she was clasped firmly upon his back, Tien pushed off of the ground quickly without any words from either one of them. There had been several people around him when he was on the pavement and he kicked himself for allowing people to see him take off when he had just told Rose otherwise. _It is a mistake I will have to make up later. I can not go back on what I tell her or what I do,_ He thought to himself, keeping his face forwards and his lips in a tight line. From now on, he would have to be careful about what he did or it might cost him more then he would ever know.

****

There were beautiful plains that stretched far into the wilderness that sat in a remote area hundreds of miles away from any cities. The untamed lands looked peaceful and quiet, not like the large cities in which many people dwelled in. Here, in a place that wasn't overcrowded with streaming bodies, animals could run free without fear or any kind of interference in their lives. They lived, unhindered, in the blades of grass like they always had for countless generations.

A lone mountain range stretched across three sides of this barely known territory, allowing only one side for seafarers to access it. There were very little who were determined enough to actually scale the mountains which surrounded the remaining side for fear of their own lives. They left the light blue sky and pearl white clouds touch the peaks for the time being until another brave soul dared to cross the sharp rocks.

This is why Tien had once, after Cell's defeat, had come here so often to train with Chaotzu. There weren't any peering eyes to watch what was going on, and that was the way they had liked it. Now, as he landed upon the ground with little trouble, he would teach Rose how to fly in the very same place. He hoped he would only have to spend enough time with her to get the information he needed before he didn't have to worry about her any longer.

"We're here," Tien said lightly as Rose climbed off of his back as she walked to his side, her flaming hair turning every which way in the wind with her eyes taking in the things around her.

"Pretty," She said without emotion in her voice. "Far away, but pretty."

"Take a good look around you because you'll be practicing little in the air today," He informed her, sitting down in the same spot where he had been standing and beckoned her to sit in front of him.

"What do you mean I am not flying today?" Rose asked with heat in her voice as she stared down at him. "I thought you were going to teach me how to fly."

"I am, but you can't just jump into the air and expect to automatically _know_ how to fly," Tien said just as hotly as the girl continued to stare at him. "There are certain things you must do and learn before you even begin to fly. It takes time and practice to be able to go into the air. Understand?"

"If you say so." She shrugged as she moved her body in front of him before sitting down as well, facing him. "So start already."

"Don't be impatient about learning how to fly. Sometimes impatience can lead to things that you just don't want to think about. Just watch what I am about to do before we do anything." He put his hands in front of his chest, not more then two inches apart from each other with his palms facing each other. Rose stared at his facing palms, her irritability growing more by the second. Just as she was about to speak on behalf of the impatience, static began to crackle from between Tien's palms. It was small shocks at first, becoming increasingly more vibrant and quicker then before. In the middle of the space between his hands, a glowing orb of light, roughly the size of a marble, appeared. It stayed that way for a moment or two before it became bigger and bigger until the orb was nearly touching his palms. Then, just like it had appeared, the orb faded down into nothingness, the static disappearing not long after. 

"What the hell was that?" Rose stammered, sliding away from him as much as she could without creating a big gap between them. She was far enough away so that she could still see and understand him without being too close to him.

"That, Rose dear, is energy," Tien said as he placed his hands upon his knees. The woman gave him a confused look, not understanding what he was telling her. He sighed, knowing this might a little bit more then he had expected. "This energy lives inside of every living being and can determine how strong you are. However, this same living energy can also be your downfall in more ways then one. If you are too strong, those that can sense it can pinpoint your location without much thought. If you lose all of your energy, then you...." He stopped, not knowing really how to say the next word to her. There were certain things that you just don't tell someone when they were about to learn how to fly.

"Then what happens if this 'energy' is lost?" Rose demanded. Tien fidgeted in the place that he was sitting in, his eyes dropping down to the ground. "You know that you can tell me unless it is something that is beyond your words."

"They die," He said in a hushed voice, his eyes looking up at her from an angle. She now had a eyebrow raised, the confused look on her face disappearing. It now had a amused look on it, her lips moving into a half smile.

"Is that all? Death itself?" She scoffed, letting out a chuckle. "And here I was, thinking it was something very horrible or something when all it is dying."

"What, you don't care if someone's energy is lost completely?"

"Tien, death is one of the grandest adventures of them all. There is no way that you can cheat death or try to stop it unless you are immortal or something along the lines of that. You don't know what you are going to do, who you will be, or where you are going until you die and experience it for yourself." Rose shook her head. "Besides, sometimes death is a good thing. Sometimes losing a person or thing saves more then what you know of."

Tien opened his mouth to say something to her then closed it swiftly. He knew she was right in saying those words, but he had seen too many people die because of many different things. He just didn't want to see some more innocent people die because of things that were well beyond their wall of knowledge. If Rose knew half of the things that he knew, then this situation would be different. But, she didn't know or he assumed she didn't know, so he had to act like she was hearing things for the first time in her life.

He turned his three eyes up towards the mountain range, each moving along the distant ridges that formed the three sided barrier along those shore lines. He thought about the things that he had learned for the first time and wondered if Rose would have the same trouble he had when learning. This was, however, a different situation and a different time, therefore calling for different reactions. 

"Well?" Rose demanded, breaking Tien out of his trance. He moved his eyes back to her, noticing the look that was now upon her face, which was a expression of pure impatience. 

"Well what?"

"Are you going to teach me out to fly or are you going to keep stalling?"

"I told you before, you can't just assume that you know how to fly if you just jump into the air," Tien said sourly, crossing his arms over his chest. "First, you have got to know how to control that energy that I just showed you. I want you to do the same thing I just did."

"And exactly _how_ am I supposed to do that?" Rose snapped, the sides of her mouth twitching.

"You have to pull the energy from the pit of your stomach, forcing it through your arms and into the palms of your hands. Then you will have your energy. Once you learn how to control that, you can be able to use to fly."

"Sounds easy enough to me," Rose said, moving her body in a way that she was sitting comfortably on the ground below her. Moving her hands so that her palms were facing each other but no more then an inch or so apart, she concentrated on trying to put her energy between her hands. Tien watched her attempt this, a small feeling of wonder escaping him. _If she can do this on the first try, I will be very much surprised,_ He thought, his eyes moving over her face. 

Her emerald green eyes were deep in concentration, her arms shaking from making her energy appear in her palms. Despite the fact that storm clouds were moving in from where they had been before, small beads of sweat were trickling down her face and into her clothing. She continued to attempt to force her energy out of her body for another ten minutes before she choked and placed her hands onto the ground. Rose looked up at Tien, her eyes alive with fire.

"How come you were able to do it, and I wasn't?" She demanded coldly through gritted teeth. Tien stiffened a laugh at the sheer look that was on her face.

"Rose, I have been flying for years and this is your first lesson. I didn't expect you to know how to summon your energy at will on the first try. It takes practice, time, and patience to be able to learn how to fly. And a lot of secrecy," Tien added swiftly with a smile before she could say anything. 

"How long do you think it will take me to learn?"

Tien shrugged at that. "As long as it takes you, I suppose. Now, try it again until you can get it right. Remember to take your energy from the pit of your stomach."

Rose nodded, moving her hands back into position she had them in before. Her eyes moved onto her hands as if she expected a orb of energy to be there when she did. A few moments passed, the wind moving around them slowly. Tien was beginning to become bored at waiting for her to attempt to bring her energy forward when he heard the distinct sound of energy crackling. At first, he thought it was the storm that was brewing above him when he looked up at it, but when he returned his gaze back towards Rose, several static shocks began to move over her hands. They were small, nothing compared to what he had seen before, but it was something none the less. 

Rose didn't seem to quite know what was going on as she continued to push her energy out of her hands. The static grew quicker, but not in size, as the wind picked up around them. Suddenly, a small green orb appeared in the middle of her hands. It grew to about a half of an inch before it disappeared from the center of her facing hands. The static slowly died down, the wind around them going to almost a calming state. The girl looked up at him when she placed her hands down onto the ground excitedly, her eyes going wide.

"Did you see that? I got my energy out!" She said hurriedly, her voice raising. "Can I fly now?"

"That was good, but that was only a small amount of your energy. You need to try that several more times before you can lift yourself out of the air," Tien said with a approving nod. "The more that you are able to control your energy, the better you can fly. Do you understand? If you do, try it again."

Rose didn't answer as she lowered her head to the ground, a sigh escaping her lips. Moving her hands back to the same position, she got ready to bring forth more of her hidden energy, her mentor watching her. Tien hoped that she wouldn't give up by the end of the day or he would never know the secrets that this girl held.

****

Chaotzu peeked out of the window that overlooked the ocean in the living room of Roshi's house, an action that wasn't even noticed by Roshi nor Oolong. Both were playing a game of poker on the kitchen, hardly even noticing the storm that was beginning to brew just outside the house. The waves were starting to hound the shore more then they had an hour ago, which wasn't the thing that was beginning to worry him at the moment. It was the fact that Tien hadn't come back yet he was supposedly giving Rose at this moment, which was nearly six hours ago.

He sighed, moving over towards the couch, briefly glancing over towards the kitchen. Roshi was swearing something under his breath while Oolong was racking in the small bills that had been once piled in the middle of the table. He would have smiled at this at any other given time, but today was different as he sat down upon the couch and stared at the doorway to the stormy outside. He had no idea why he was so worried about Tien since Chaotzu knew his friend could take care of himself. With the last few days of either arguing or ignoring the other, each wondered if anything could survive this.

Just as Chaotzu was about to settle down into another round of "Where's Tien?", the door opened suddenly, letting in a wild gust of air. This made the two inside the kitchen turn their heads into the living room as Tien himself came barging in, cold and somewhat wet. He quickly closed the door behind him, a tired sigh escaping his lips as he leaned up against the doorway, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, he noticed three pairs of eyes staring at him blankly.

"What?" Tien asked dumbly, looking at each in turn. Chaotzu had to smile, something that made his friend weary at what he was thinking. "I didn't expect this storm to actually start up. I would have been here sooner, but the weather suddenly turned."

"Sure it did," Roshi snickered, eyeing Tien from the kitchen before he and Oolong got back to their game. Chaotzu didn't say anything as Tien moved to the other end of the couch, settling down upon the cushions.

"How did her first lesson go?" Chaotzu asked innocently, hoping that his question wouldn't spark up a argument between the two friends. The other didn't say anything for a moment, then turned his three eyes over towards him.

"Went well, I think. She might be able to fly in the next couple of days, a lot sooner then I expected," He answered as truthfully as he could. In fact, he wasn't sure if Rose would be training in the next couple of days. Whatever energy she was trying to bring out, it was taking a lot out of her. That was to be expected since it had been her first training session and she probably had never been asked to bring forth her energy on command. "After this week is over and done with, I--we--won't have to worry about her any more."

"I hope so," Chaotzu said in a low voice, turning his eyes towards the window, hoping that his friend was correct on his words. 

****

To Be Continued


	10. Chapter 9

****

So They Say; Dirait-on

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Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters. They are owned by those who own them. I do, however, own the original characters (if any) and the fic all of this is in. That is all.

****

Chapter Nine

The days had gone by fast and slow at the same time, often colliding with one another as the minutes and hours ticked on by as the days turned into a week then two. The day went into night, the night going into day, each one going in turn like it had done so for thousands of years. It was the same familiar click of the clock as Tien stood on the grassy plains, his arms folded across his chest. Two of his eyes were closed, his third eye open as it stared straight ahead into the mountains. It was only mid-day and already by fast and slow at the same time, often colliding with one another as the minutes and hours ticked on by as the days turned into nights. 

Tien found himself standing upon the ground, his eyes staring straight ahead as he listened to the wind around him. Rose was hovering several feet above him, often zooming around in the air before diving almost perfectly to the ground. This time around, she floated herself down in front of Tien, her eyes void from any emotions.

"That was better then what you did yesterday, Rose. You are learning how to fly, but you wouldn't do well flying if you were in any real danger," Tien said, his voice void of emotion just like Rose's eyes were, which narrowed towards him. 

"Any real danger? There isn't any real danger to be had," She said, her voice overflowing with bitterness. "You have been critiquing me every chance that you get and it is getting annoying."

"The more criticism, the better you do." He gave her a moment's glare before blinking his eyes. "You should have been able to fly near perfectly a week ago, but you are lacking on the control it takes to keep yourself in the air. You can stay in the air for only a half hours time, yet there are times when you may need to be in it for a longer period of time."

"I am learning as best as I can, okay? It isn't easy to stay up in the air with the cold air whipping at your face."

"I know it isn't easy. I learned to fly the hard way, unfortunately. You, on the other hand, have it better then the fighters that I have had the chance to train with."

"You don't even watch me half of the time that I am in the air. Your eyes are always closed," Rose snapped angrily. Tien rolled his eyes as he uncrossed one of his arms and pointed to the third eye on his forehead.

"Do you think that this is just for decoration?" He asked with sarcasm dripping from his voice as he placed his arm back across his chest. "I don't need to know where you are by sensing your energy. I can do better by watching you with my eye rather then attempting to locate where you are. Since you have a low source of energy at this point, you are harder to trace then one of those that I have trained with."

"Yea, well...." Rose sputtered before her voice trailed off. Instead, she sharply turned her head to her right side, her face scrunching up into a scowl. Two weeks ago the two of them would have gone several hours, insulting each other until someone intervened. Now, however, both Tien and Rose found themselves trailing off without attempting to snap something back towards the other. What was worse was the fact that Rose often attempted to fly off the island where they were, coming back only when she found herself too tired to fly even one-fourth the distance to Capsule Corp.

He could tell that Vegeta had some say in Rose's stay at Capsule Corps. since the girl was now looking more tired and more hungry then she had been during the first week of training. He had asked Bulma what was going on after one day's worth of training, learning that the Saiyan was attempting to force his own training schedule upon Rose after accidentally hearing of the training Tien was giving her. If she didn't comply, there were ways that he was making her stay awake at night or missing some sort of meal. Bulma nearly had threatened to pull the plug on his training room, but things sometimes got better between Rose and Vegeta, so she had no reason to give or do that threat.

There was also the issue with Chaotzu, Roshi, and Oolong. While Tien and Chaotzu had come to a mere understanding about Rose, Roshi and Oolong found it harder to control what they were saying about the girl and her trainer. Often, Tien had to walk out upon the beach to get away from the snide, perverted remarks just to think or find something else to concentrate upon. There were a few instances where Chaotzu would join in, but it was only in a joking manner and wasn't meant to be taken seriously. Still, he would be glad to get this over and done with so that he could worry about what was going to happen next without any threats going on.

"When will my training be officially over with?" Rose demanded coldly, her eyes shifting over towards the other. "I know we both have better things to do with our lives then to come here every day and wait for me to be able to fly perfectly."

"You said you wanted to know how to fly, didn't you?" Tien asked, then quickly continued without waiting for a response to his question. "So, you know how to fly, even if it isn't perfect. I am sure that if you take time out each day or each week to practice this skill, in no time you will be perfect or close to it in a few months time."

"You are going to let me off this quickly so you can get rid of me? If that is the case, then let me go back to Capsule Corp. so that I can get on with my life without all of this hassle."

"Not so fast, Rose." He put up a hand in the air to keep her from going anywhere much less back over any terrain. "I did not spend the last two weeks training you for nothing. As much fun as this has been, you need to keep your end of the deal. I teach you how to fly, you tell me something about these androids of yours."

"Of Gero's, you idiot," Rose insisted, glaring at him coldly. "You shouldn't be taking his creations lightly."

"Oh, I am not, Rose. I know what it is like to go up against one of those damned things--more like five or six of them which includes Gero himself, if you want specifics--so don't assume I don't know what it is like."

"Do you know what it is like to become one?" She asked him, her icy complexion turning slightly fearful. Tien's, however, remained the same, steadfast determination as he watched her carefully.

"I don't know. I'll have to ask 18 as soon as she stops biting the heads off of everyone but Krillin's."

"Then you don't know how terrible Gero really was," Rose said, her voice dropping down to a soft tone. He looked at her quizzically, an eyebrow raised.

"Are you an android?" Tien asked dumbly, uncrossing his arms.

"No, I am not, but I've heard the screams of the two that he had turned into his own creations. They were horrible, Tien. If there is one thing that you should never have to listen to, it is the sounds of those that are being tortured and raped." Rose sat down upon the grass, her eyes still looking up at him. "You should know how merciless Gero was and how deep his hatred for the one called Goku was."

"I definitely know about the story behind the defeat of the Red Ribbon Army by the hands of the child called Goku. Hell, I wouldn't have been surprised if he had found a new way to reach a higher form of Super Saiyan if he hadn't been so noble and attempted to defeat Cell by...." Tien's voice trailed off in a attempt to save himself from an explanation of the teleportation technique Goku had learned while in space during the time after Frieza's defeat. "Well, it's complicated none the less."

"Wait a minute, how....." Rose started before shaking her head with her own question still hanging in mid-air. She struggled with asking it without trying to sound like she was attempting to ask too much.

"....I know Goku?" He finished for her. "I meet Goku many years ago during the World Martial Arts Tournament, which I barely won with Goku taking second. Course, he would have won if certain things hadn't happened."

"Oh," She said with a shrug before continuing on. "Like I said, those sounds were horrible and shouldn't be heard by human ears. There was no comfort in the words of Gero that assured me it was all in my mind, but there was a worse feeling then hearing tortured screams. No, it was seeing dreadful acts the doctor would perform on his subjects, both male and female. I will not utter them here for it is too foul to speak off.

"Gero had hidden his lab so that no one would be able to find it, but I suppose it was eventually found since his creations have long since become a part of the human race once again. What no person knows of is the second lab he had stored away in case any of his creations failed.

"Cell was the last thing he wanted to use against Goku since Gero knew how long it was going to take him to complete the project. Even during the days of the Red Ribbon Army, there was talk of Gero hiding some more precious things then the part human, part android creations he was attempting to create or that of a completely organic android. No, it was that of creating a perfect android."

"In which eventually became Cell when he absorbed 17 and 18," Tien interrupted, but Rose shook her head.

"I have not seen nor heard of Cell's power in perfect form," She continued as if Tien had not said anything. "I assume it is pretty impressive, but there is something else that was worrying Gero. See, even when he was working on creating Cell there was still the fear that it wouldn't work and a unworkable plan for Gero calls for scrapping it completely. However, he didn't scrap this plan since there was a seventy-five percent chance it _would_ work, yet there was always that twenty-five percent that made him worry so. Gero instead found another way to make up for that loss. By combining organic, machine, and human comments, he was able to nearly perfect a plan that would make his revenge nearly complete."

"In which, again, leads to Cell," Tien said forcefully. "Not only was Cell organic, but when he absorbed 17 and 18 he had some human and machine components stored inside of him although it wasn't apparent."

"Will you get off the whole Cell crap? I am not even talking about him. I am talking about what is hidden inside a secret lab right now," Rose said defiantly, rising up from her sitting position as she came eye level him. "Gero didn't stop at Cell. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if any of his hidden creations were walking among us now. That, of course, would be near impossible for both of them, but I figure Gero was smart enough to create so many androids, why not have a few more that can get through snow and ice?"

"Where is the lab if you know so much?"

"The first clue is the snow and ice, you idiot."

"You can go through snow in many parts of this planet," Tien said irritably. "It isn't hard to know where the colder regions are with a map. Getting there wouldn't be a problem either since you can fly."

"If you want to know where it is, then I can show you tomorrow. Otherwise, I've told you enough already as it is. If Gero were alive today, he would have killed me in an instant if he knew that I snitched," She said plainly. "Now, let's get off of this damned island, shall we? The new adventure starts tomorrow."

"Two last questions before we go," He asked as Rose moved around him to his back, climbing upon it with ease. Although she did know how to fly, she wasn't about to attempt a long journey over water just yet. 

"What is it?" She wondered as Tien lifted off of the ground, hovering there for a moment before going up into the air and beginning the journey back to where Capsule Corp. was.

"How do you know so much about Gero? I mean, there should be a lot of people that knew he was working for the Red Ribbon Army and such, but I would have guessed his work stopped at Cell or he would have gone down with the Army after Goku defeated it."

"That, my friend, is a answer that few will know about me. I don't regret working for Gero during the last years of the Red Ribbon Army, but after that he became obsessed with attempting to get revenge on Goku," She said answered without hesitation. "I was younger then, unknown and often pushed out of the way into the shadows. I can't tell you more then that. Next question."

"How do I know you are lying?"

"I could very well be, but you will have to find that out on your own, won't you?"

Tien didn't say anything, instead looking down at the glossy water beneath them. There was something that he couldn't trust about her, now that he heard the words of a secret lab in which Gero had created. That is, if he had created one in the first place. Not even the Briefs knew of Gero's lab, and he was one of the greatest minds of the scientific field. Great, but terrible.

He still did not know what he was getting himself into.

****

They were silent for the trip back to the Capsule Corp. building complex, each in their own thoughts. Rose had little to think about on the journey to her foster home, mostly the situations she would have gotten herself into if Gero was still alive. She knew the secret she had told her flying master would have probably gotten herself turned into a lethal experiment of some sort or even worse then that. The girl had to shudder at the thought of what she could have been turned into.

On the other hand, Tien was steadily thinking of what he had just been told by her. It was unbelievable since all they knew was that Cell had been the last thing Gero had created. Why would he have made something else if a plan was nearly flawless? They all knew that Gero did not count on Goku becoming a Super Saiyan nor did he put into account the time the Saiyan had been in space, so that was one thing that was in their favor. Or, so they had thought at the time. Few things had gone wrong, but they had played a major part on who was going to win what.

None of the scientific world, to his knowledge, knew where Gero had been keeping his lab; at least, that was what he thought Bulma had told them when the android's were first heard of. It had been years since the discussion of the androids had come up, so it hadn't been a topic anyone had bothered to talk about since the defeat of Cell. Many of his friends were still too scared of 18 to approach her much less attempt to bring up the sensitive discussion of Gero in front of her.

The only way he was going to know if Rose was telling the truth or not was to ask Bulma Briefs herself and that was exactly what he was going to do as Tien landed upon the ground in front of the building complex. Rose slid off his back several moments later, probably still deep in thought to the things that could have happened to her if her former employer was still alive.

"Could you ask Bulma to come out here if you see her?" He asked with some nervousness in his voice once Rose had walked around him to start her trek back into the housing building.

"I don't know where she is, but I'll try. I will come back out if I can't find her," She offered, not even looking at him as she hurriedly walked away from him. Tien grumbled his thanks under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned his back upon Capsule Corp. The only reason he was asking Bulma in the first place was because he had to make sure there was nothing wrong with Rose's story. She had to know something else even if Gero worked in secret for the most part. Bulma was smart enough to find things out for herself without anyone telling her otherwise.

"Tien? What do you want now?" Bulma's cool voice demanded from across the complex. Tien turned around slowly to see Bulma walking towards him, clothed in her lab coat. There was an unreadable expression on her face as she stopped in front of him, her hands moving to her hips.

"I need to ask you a few things," He told her, then launching into the story Rose had told him not long ago. After he was done the tale, Bulma's expression changed to a almost surprised look.

"Gero having another lab that he stores two extra androids?" She wondered, confusion lingering in her voice. She looked over her shoulder, Rose's form standing in the doorway of the building Bulma had supposedly come out of, her green eyes staring daggers at them.

"I questioned her story to myself to see if I believed it or not. so far, it doesn't make sense," He told her once she had turned her head to face him again, then added in a lower tone, "Do you think her story is worthy of Gero?"

"She didn't give any more details on what she was working on as Gero's 'employee'?" She muttered, her eyes meeting Tien's. When he shook his head to answer the question, her lips pursed into a thin line. "I had a bad feeling about her from the moment she stepped into Capsule Corp. She was very interested in anything that I did which had involved Gero's androids; more then most people, mind you. I gave her sketchy details about the work I had to do on 19, but that was it. Vegeta caught her a few days ago attempting to copy a diagram of one of my designs when he was looking for me to fix something in the gravity room.

"But, I don't doubt she had_ some_ from of contact with Gero. What kind of contact it was, I don't know. I don't think it is a wise idea to let her drag you to a unknown place without someone tailing you in secret or just being with you in case." Bulma moved her eyes to the side as if she was expecting someone to be there before turning them back forwards. "I can try to persuade Vegeta to go along with you, maybe also Yamcha if I am lucky. I wouldn't count on it, so I would rely on Chaotzu for the most part. Think of a way to warn him if you are in danger."

"Thanks, Bulma," Tien mused back, glancing over her shoulder to see if Rose was still there. Her shadowy form had long since gone, probably having heard more then she needed to know. "You don't know how much I owe you."

"More then you probably could afford," She said with a grin before retreating back towards the buildings. Tien watched her go, unsure of all the information he had just recived from the two women. Rose's story didn't sit well with him and he wasn't about to step onto the platform of believing her either. _Maybe this is just a way to get me into a position that I know I am not going to like,_ He thought briskly, making sure that Bulma had gone into one of the buildings before taking off himself. It was going to be an interesting end to a long week.

****

"That doesn't sound right," Chaotzu muttered under his breath as he sat on the couch. Tien had nearly fallen into Roshi's house a half hour before, only because when he had attempted to enter through the doorway did he find it to be locked. Only when he had leaned up against the doorway did it open, making him stumble and nearly trip over Oolong. That made matters worse since Roshi was right behind the pig, wondering what was making such a racket at the front of the house. Tien had bumped into him, causing the old man to fall backwards and onto the ground. 

After several grumblings from him, Roshi had gotten up with Oolong and Tien's help, Chaotzu coming out from one of the back rooms like nothing had happened. It was only after Tien had told the three of them the story he had been told by Rose and explained it to Bulma did Roshi seemingly forget about being pushed into the ground.

"That is what I think," He said when Roshi leaned up against the back of the couch, his eyes drifting sideways. "Bulma is going to try to get both Vegeta and Yamcha to tail us to wherever we are going. She thinks, and as do I, it is a good idea that I don't weight heavily on them and concentrate on just having Chaotzu with me."

Chaotzu didn't say anything to that, instead moving his head towards the window that faced the ocean outside. Oolong grumbled something from in front of the TV, attempting to find something else that was on besides the news. Roshi was looking like nothing was amiss, his eyes tracing along the fabric pattern of the couch. Tien took in a breath of air, feeling like he had been ignored throughout the last ten minutes.

"What was the point of me telling you this if none of you three were actually listening to what I had to say?" He hissed, his eyes moving from one person to another.

"We heard you alright. Just give it a couple of minutes to sink in," Oolong said, not even bothering to glance away from the screen where a woman reporter was talking about the increase of motorcycle sales. Tien raised an eyebrow, a feeling of wonder going through him. There were only a few times when the pig nor Roshi watched the news or something other then just their normal viewing channels. 

"Okay, what is going on here? It hasn't been this quiet for two weeks."

"Do you honestly want to know what is going on?" Chaotzu said in a whisper, his eyes darting over towards where his friend was standing before turning back towards the window.

"Yes, I do. "

"Then look behind you."

Tien sighed again, turning around to expect some sort of monster standing there, ready to bite his head off. Instead, Android 18 was there, her cold blue eyes staring deeply at him like she was about to murder him instead of ripping his head off of his shoulders. She moved a hand through her blonde hair, causing him to jump back just a bit. If there was one person he hadn't expected to come face to face with again, it was her. 

"Um, hi," He said meekly, attempting to hide his fear and surprise from her, but that didn't seem to work. "How...how...."

"How much did I hear or how come I am standing right behind you?" 18 snapped at him, putting her hands upon her hips, going into what reminded Tien as the pose Bulma had just used with him earlier.

"Both, actually," He answered truthfully. He hadn't expected her to be standing right there nor did he know how much she had heard of the 'story' he had told to his friends. 

"To answer you on why I am standing here, Krillin thought it would be nice for me to get to know everyone and to break any ice that could be between me and everyone else," She said icily, rolling her eyes. "I heard you tell them almost everything execpt how you came about this woman. Of course, I am going to assume that you have known her for more then a day, so I am not going to even bother to ask any further." The android stared at Tien's face, a smirk coming upon her lips. "I suppose you want to ask if I knew anything about this girl that you call Rose or any secret lab that bastard had hidden away besides the one in which I was in, correct."

"I...uh...." He started, looking over his shoulder at his friends for support and help. None was given to him as he turned his head back over to where the other was standing. "Any, um, help is needed, I suppose. But if you don't want to talk about it....."

"I've gone past the stage where any mention of Gero or what he did affects me much," 18 said just as coolly as she had done so before, a wisp of human emotion crossing her face before it turned into a emotionless feature. "I can't remember much of what was going on during my days inside Gero's lab. I do remember the things that he used to do to me and my brother, but that was far between, but I am sure that you don't want to hear about the horrible tales of a mad scientist and his creations.

"I do remember hearing of a woman that Gero was attempting to use as a experiment before he made any final preparations on 17 and me. Even though there were times in which Gero deactivated us, I could barely hear the voices in which were muttered inside the lab. At first I thought it was just inside of my mind, but 17 heard them as well if I ever asked him about it. Words floated in and out of our minds, a few sentences coming together every so often, but not enough to give us any full details of what Gero was doing."

18 stopped, her eyes darting over towards Roshi, who was staring at more then just the android's face. A anger-filled face and a quick stride, she moved over towards where the old man was standing and smacked him across the face. Tien turned to face this scene, seeing Roshi's eyes pop out of his skull as he fell into a sitting position onto the floor. She rolled her eyes yet again, turning back towards Tien to finish what she was saying.

"Gero only mentioned this once, a few weeks before your friends came and 17 destroyed the doctor. He had said that there was something hidden up in a mountain peak in which he knew he had put something into but couldn't remember where this mountain was. I didn't know what he was talking about nor did I care. At that point, both 17 and I had enough of being slaves to him.

"If you want to know what it was like being one of Gero's experiments, think of any time in your life in which you felt like nothing was going right and the world around you was just using you as a puppet and multiply that by a few hundred," 18 said at last, glaring down at Roshi before turning upon her heels and walking into the backrooms. Tien's eyes watched her go, somewhat surprised at even more new information he had heard. A feeling inside of him came from the bottom of his stomach in which he started to feel bad for what 18 had to go through. _It probably wasn't her and 17's fault that they were going after Goku,_ He thought to himself as he turned towards Chaotzu, who was now staring up at his friend in wonder.

"How long has she been here?" Tien muttered not too loudly just in case 18 was still listening on his words again. "Why didn't you tell me she was right behind me?"

"She and Krillin got here a few hours after you left," Chaotzu said in a small voice. "She was standing there long after you had started to give your account of what Rose and Bulma told you." He paused, giving thought to what he was going to say next before continuing on. "Do you believe anything that Rose and 18 have said?"

"I wouldn't doubt what 18 said was the truth, but I am unsure about Rose. I do not know her nor care to," Tien said with a frown. "But I am not going to waste this opportunity to go see if Rose's story is true or not. I just ask you to come with me."

"I'll give you my answer in the morning," Chaotzu said with a yawn as he slid off of the couch before moving around it. He slowly made his way into the back, careful as to not go into the same room in which 18 was in. Oolong turned his head away from the TV while Roshi stood up, still rubbing the spot where 18 had smacked him.

"You aren't serious about going there with her, are you Tien?" Oolong asked in a semi-worried voice.

"Honestly, I don't know what I am doing," He answered grimly. He knew that was the truth; he didn't know what exactly he was doing or why he had gotten himself stuck in the middle of this. At this point, everything seemed to be getting more complicated then it had done so before and he did not like it one bit.

****

To Be Continued

__

Author's Note: This fic will be wrapping up in the next 1 to 4 chapters. I probably won't write more then 2 chapters, but that isn't definite at this point. I have two ideas that I want to do, but only one is going to be placed into the fic. After I finish this fic, I won't be writing any DBZ fan fiction for a while. I will be either working on my crossover (which is going to be the only DBZ-related fic that is the exception) or a fan fic piece outside of the DBZ section. I think I have been writing in this section for a little too long now. Be sure to catch my first Harry Potter fan fic after I wrap up this fic. Have fun!


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